Darkness's Son Three: And Then the Light Comes
by The Hope Lions
Summary: For seven years Luke Skywalker has lived on Coruscant with his father, but now he is an adult. When Emperor Palpatine declares Luke his Sith apprentice and orders him to infiltrate the Rebel Alliance, the teen has no choice. But between the lies he's telling and the ones he's been told, will Luke be able to recall who he is, and what he's truly fighting for? Final fic here!
1. Chapter 1

Hey guys, I'm back. So in typical fashion I wrote a total of 15K while on summer break and have written 36K in the past 2 weeks while writing college applications and doing masses of AP work. That being said I'll admit to not having the story done. I think I have like 5 or so chapters left to write. That means I could very well regret starting to post 22 days from now when I don't have the rest done. I just wanted to start posting, however, because A-Rebels comes back tonight and I need people to talk about it with me and B- before I'm done and everything is set in stone I want a final chance for people to give me last minute ideas and thoughts for me to tie in. So please remember to review, because it not only motivates me to write, but I do actually listen. With that being said here it is, the final installment. Thank you so much for reading this far and I hope it doesn't disappoint.

I actually bought a few more Disney shares, so those should cover the sliver of Disney I'm using in this fic.

ENJOY AND THANK YOU!

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Chapter 1

Luke Skywalker knew he had only one night more to be a child. He still looked very young, with short legs and a rounded face, but he didn't feel young. He didn't feel like an adult either, but Luke knew he wasn't a child. He could be one though, for a few more hours. In the morning he was to report to the throne room for a secret meeting with the Emperor, and then his fate would be decided. In the morning Luke suspected he was to become a Sith.

But for one more night Luke was just a teenage Jedi, even if he was a teenage Jedi with the fanciest clothes at the Vorus Academy Graduation Gala. The Gala was supposedly just for the graduates and their families, but Luke was sure that there was an ex-senator or two who did not have a child graduating milling about. That wasn't really surprising though because every former senator had been attempting to redefine their place in court since the Senate's was dissolved three weeks before. It had come to a shock to everyone, even Luke, when the Emperor announced that after seventeen years the galaxy was united enough not to need the Senate. It seemed to the people of the Empire that if anything the galaxy was less united than before. New Rebel cells were being discovered on an almost daily basis, but that was the Emperor's point. If the cells were being discovered that mean the Empire was winning.

Luke knew that was not the case. He barely ever saw his father as of late, and instead spent time on the Executor during breaks. Each time Luke got on the Super Star Destroyer he saw just how much they were not winning the war. The Rebels had less men, less money, less everything, but they had more guts than anyone. It seemed none of them feared dying for their cause, something that the numerous Imperial squadrons who had retreated in the past few months could not say.

No, no the war wasn't going well and the galaxy was not united. All that mattered though was that people believed things were swinging their way. All that mattered though was the major tax break they would surely be getting now that senators didn't have to get paid. (Luke laughed whenever someone mentioned the tax break. They obviously had no idea how much ships cost relative to a senator's salary. There would be no tax breaks until the Alliance was defeated.)

"You're brooding again."

Luke turned to see his long time best friend, Rickon, standing there with a drink in hand. He handed the glass of champagne to Luke, and rolled his eyes. "You get this look whenever you're thinking of the war, like it's all up to you to end the fighting. Have a drink and relax for one more night."

Luke took the glass, but he didn't drink. He had discovered a while ago that alcohol and the Force do not mix properly, and did not want to cause a scene. "You don't get to say a thing Mr. 'I'll be the guard who singlehandedly defeats every assassin.'"

Rickon punched Luke, and Luke decided he did pity any assassin. His friend was almost as tall as his father, and twice as bulky. "You know it's a great honor to be part of the Emperor's personal guard. We can't all be Sith Lords, some of us have to serve the Empire with our own two hands."

If any of the Emperor's Red Guard had ever gotten their hands dirty Luke would be amazed. They stood there and looked intimidating and then the Emperor's Force-Attuned guards did the real work. Not that anyone needed to defend the Emperor. He was in his eighties, sure, but he was also the most powerful Force user in the galaxy. Sith lighting would be much more effective against an assassin than Rickon's pike staff.

But it was an honor, Luke couldn't deny that. Everyone had expected Rickon to slowly make his way through the Coruscant Guard much the way his father did; no one expected the Emperor himself to recognize the name Cassel and offer the teen one of the most important jobs in the galaxy. Even Luke was proud of his friend, but he couldn't help but have regrets. Rickon would be busy as a guard, and Luke would be busy as a Sith. They would almost always occupy the same throne rooms, but they could never acknowledge the other. Both teens knew that this might be the last time they spoke to each other in a long, long time.

"And right back to brooding," Rickon laughed probably a bit tipsy himself. "Fine, don't you think Leah looks pretty tonight?"

She did. Luke's friend wore a crimson dress she almost certainly couldn't afford, and the way her hair was done looked almost royal. She certainly didn't look like the bookworm-secretly-Force-Sensitive-Daughter-of-A-Maid she was. She looked like a princess, and Luke was glad for her. He pitied all their classmates however, because the girls were probably jealous, and the boys were probably wondering how they had wasted so many years ignoring someone so obviously beautiful.

"Yes, and I still don't want to date her," Luke told his friend. Rickon had been trying to push the two together for years, but it had gotten really bad as school drew to a close. Luke and Leah were just friends, just as Luke and Rickon were just friends and Leah and Rickon were just friends. Rickon was the only one who wanted them to be more, and that was because he wanted one of them to find love, and knew it wasn't going to be him.

Luke just thought Rickon was too obsessed with the female gender. It wasn't like Luke had time to be dating, not when he was about to start his training as a Sith, and there had been rumors for years that the Emperor would have a say in who Luke married. The Emperor and Leah had a weird relationship, but she was probably not the type he would want to make the future Empress.

"Okay, what about that the girl with Brandon," Rickon tried again turning Luke to see her. "Is she your type."

Yes, she was. Her beautiful brown hair was pulled up into a fancy braid, and she wore a dress that shimmered like gold. She looked like a princess, because she was one. A princess Luke had admired for years, and who hated Luke in return. "Rickon, that's Princess Leia Organa."

"Oh." Rickon suddenly felt stupid for pointing her out. He had listened to Luke go on about her for hours whenever she had addressed the senate, and he also knew about their explosive fight of over two years ago that ended any chance of Leia ever dating Luke. "Okay, well Nil looks pretty. You should ask her to dance."

Rickon kept trying, but it was too late. Luke was neurotically obsessed with Leia, always had been. Neither of them understood it, and Rickon thought Luke was just weird, but Luke felt the need to be close to her. He never was of course because she hated him, but now that he was staring at her he obviously wasn't going to look any other way. It was a good thing Luke was looking, however, because he noticed Brandon pull off one of Leia's gem-crusted bracelets and stick it in his pocket.

Brandon was a diagnosed kleptomaniac Luke originally met in reform school. Their animosity had far outlasted their friendship, and Luke generally tried to ignore Brandon. But he couldn't just ignore this. Brandon was stealing something of value from Leia; Luke had to act. It had absolutely nothing to do with trying to get back on Leia's good side. It was just human decency.

"Oh please tell me you're not going to…" Rickon called, but Luke was already moving across the room quickly.

"Give the Princess back her bracelet Brandon," Luke told his classmate firmly. Leia recognized Luke easily and looked ready to scream, but Luke, for once, ignored her. He held out his hand to Brandon and repeated his words. "I saw you take it. Give it back."

Brandon pulled Leia closer to him, wrapping his arm around her hips in a way that angered Luke beyond reason. He wasn't jealous, no he was furious that Brandon of all people thought he could just possess Leia Organa. Luke had watched her from afar for long enough that he knew that was never the case. "Get out of here Skywalker. I didn't take nothing from the princess."

"I see two years of Coruscant's finest education has worked wonders," Luke responded dryly. "I'll give you one more chance."

Brandon looked visibly nervous, but Leia turned to Luke, fury visible in her dark eyes. "Oh you are just like your father, using intimidation to get what you want! What are you going to do, chop off his hands?"

Luke sighed, and used the Force to levitate Leia's bracelet, and a bunch of other jewelry, from Brandon's pocket. "I was not threatening him your highness, simply giving him the chance to make things right himself." Luke handed Leia the bracelet, ignoring the pounding in the Force as his hand brushed hers. "Are these rings and such yours as well?"

"No," Leia admitted looking between Brandon and Luke as if trying to decide which was the lesser evil. "I think I can find my own way home Mr. Geadmyer," she finally told Brandon stepping away from both boys. "Perhaps you should go and return that which you've stolen."

Brandon muttered some nasty curses as he took the stolen jewels from Luke and went to return them to their proper places. Luke watched to make sure Brandon actually did it, and so it took him a moment to realize Leia hadn't walked away from him as well. "Can I help you with something else, your Highness?"

"I wanted to thank you." Luke could tell the words were painful for Leia to say, especially to him. "That bracelet was my mother's, my biological mother's. It's one of the few things of her I have. My mother never knew her true identity and, well, my father never got a chance to tell me."

Because Luke's father had killed hers. "I'm sorry. I never knew my own mother."

"Why, did your father kill her as well?"

Leia had no way of knowing, but her words cut Luke deep. His mother's death was one of the many things Luke didn't know the truth about and probably never would. "Yes, yes I think he did."

"And you can forgive him for that?" Leia, for once, didn't sound annoyed at Luke. No, no she actually just sounded surprised. "How could you possibly forgive him for that? It's horrible!"

Luke agreed, and yet he could only shrug. "He is my father. I cannot help but love him, and since I love him I cannot help but forgive him. Besides he's used to people hating him, my hate would do nothing more to punish him. It would simply destroy me as well."

Leia let out a humph, but Luke could feel her surprise. In the two years since she'd discovered who Luke's father was it was clear she'd never considered the possibility that Luke might not be so hateful and cruel.

"What were you doing with Brandon anyways? I've never met someone who hated rebels more than him and you're, well, you."

"What… what is that supposed to mean?" Leia asked looking terrified. Luke instantly felt bad for his words, but she was slightly irrational with fear. "I'm not. I'm not a rebel."

Luke very much doubted that, but saying so would only terrify her more. "I simply mean that no matter how you feel about me that doesn't change the circumstances of our first meeting. I would warn you though that it's probably time you go back to Alderaan. The senate is not coming back, and now that Mon Mothma has been revealed to be a leader of the Alliance people will be… watching."

Luke worded his warning the best he could, but Leia still took it as a threat. "You are exactly like your father!" she hissed before stalking away and out of the party.

"Ouch," Rickon, who had finally made his way through the crowd, commented. "I'm sorry Luke I know you want her to like you."

Luke did, but he never expected Leia would. They were simply from two completely different worlds. Her father was a founder of the alliance; Luke's father was a founder of the Empire. They were not supposed to be friends. "As long as she makes it somewhere safe I'll be happy. Come on, I'm ready to go home."

"We've only been here for a half hour!"

"Yeah, and that half hour has certainly been enough."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you for everyone reading, especially to those that reviewed. Fanfic's review service isn't working properly at the moment, so my replies will be in an author's note at the end. Also yes, the last line is a Hamilton reference. I know it's not particularly in-character, but I couldn't help myself. We all know I am trash.

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Chapter 2

Luke awoke some hours before his meeting with the Emperor, and he was far too anxious to go back to sleep. The sun had yet to rise above Coruscant's sky, but Luke moved about the silent apartment. His father was… well Luke honestly didn't know. 3PO and R2 had yet to turn back on, which Luke was glad for as he didn't want to hear the drones' prattling. He needed some peace and quiet to think.

There was no way Luke's life would ever be the same; even before the meeting he knew that. If he walked out of that throne room without having killed someone it would be a small miracle. For almost seven years Luke had known this would be his fate, but he was not ready for it. Luke didn't want anything to change. He liked his life, loved it even. If the Force had the ability to stop time Luke would live in the pre-dawn light forever.

But he did not have that ability, and not for lack of trying. The universe moved in only one direction-forward. Luke had no choice but to move forward as well, but he didn't have to like it. No one likes change, especially not a change so major. Luke was going to be a completely different person when he went to bed that night, if he even did go to bed. There was always the possibility that Luke would fail as a Sith and be killed.

But what other option did he have? Luke could probably get himself on a ship and offworld, but what then? Was he really supposed to just run and hide the rest of his life? His bond with his father was strong enough Luke would surely be found quickly. Then he'd just be dragged back to the Emperor and things would be far worse.

Even if he wasn't caught what kind of life would that be? Luke would always be looking over his shoulder. Every time he saw a stormtrooper he'd think 'is this it?' And what kind of job would he get? Luke was pretty good at mechanics and flying, but he wasn't about to become a smuggler.

If there was one being in the galaxy that took advantage of Luke's weakness more than the Emperor it was Obi-Wan Kenobi. The old Jedi master had been stalking Luke for years, appearing in ghost form whenever Luke began to question his only family. It was vastly annoying for the teen and yet… yet Obi-Wan had never been anything but kind. He rarely even tried to turn Luke against his father having realized that it was impossible to overcome that love long ago.

"You could always join the Alliance. They would welcome a Jedi, and no one there would expect you to turn to the Dark Side."

Luke laughed at the sheer thought. If Obi-Wan truly believed the Alliance wouldn't lock him up the moment they knew the truth about Luke than he was insane. "If I did that I'd have to fight my father. I can't do that. Besides the Empire isn't that bad."

"But Palpatine is, and you're going to call him Master if you stay," Obi-Wan pointed out. They both knew that Luke doubted the goodness of the Emperor. He'd never seen the Sith Master do anything out of goodness or kindness. Even Vader did things like fight for better schools and an end to slavery. Palpatine never did anything that wouldn't benefit him and him alone.

"I can't just abandon my father! If that means calling Palpatine master, well I've been doing that for years. It doesn't mean I'm loyal to him and I never will be." Luke had spent a lot of time thinking about how insidious Darth Sidious was, and he knew that master or not he would never trust or like the man. He just had to pretend to.

But that was the way with all Sith, and that was what concerned Obi-Wan. "No Sith is loyal to their master. Once you're corrupted by the Dark Side you will care for no one but yourself."

"That's not true," Luke whispered shaking his head. "I know that's not true. You know that's not true! My father cares about me, he loves he. He'd die for me as I would for him! The fact Dark Side doesn't make you evil and uncaring my father is proof of that."

"I hope you're right," Obi-Wan replied knowing arguing would get him nowhere. It seemed highly unlikely to the Jedi Master that the Dark Side could be used without corrupting a person completely. While he could admit that Vader's affection for Luke was odd, that did not mean it changed the nature of the Dark Side. "But that is a chance I never wanted to take."

Luke gave the ghost a dark look. "I know why you stole me and I've forgiven you for it, but you were wrong. I know there are people alive today because my father now has to think before he kills. I know I've made him better. He uses the Dark Side but there is still light in him. It will be the same with me. I know I won't be corrupted."

"So then why are you so terrified to go before the Emperor?"

Obi-Wan's words caused Luke to falter. If he truly was so sure that you could use the Dark Side without being controlled by it then why was Luke so scared? "I don't what things to change, that's all."

They both knew it was a lie, but Obi-Wan did not wish to fight with Luke more. The last thing he wanted was for Luke to be angry when he went before the Emperor. The teen had an impressive control over his temper after seven years of Jedi training. It was possible that he might be able to keep a bit of himself through the encounter, but Obi-Wan wasn't particularly hopeful.

At least there was another who might be able to save them all if Luke fell.

Luke dressed in all black for his meeting, and he suspected he looked quite a bit like how his father had when he turned. Anakin had been a few years older, but not much. Their situation could not be more similar, or more different.

A few courtiers watched as Luke made his way towards the throne room. No one was quite sure what the theoretical-Prince's role was in the Empire, but they did not miss how much he looked like Vader in the dark ensemble. One or two of them were even scared enough that they suddenly remembered other engagements. Luke had no idea the kind of terror they were feeling though. He was too wrapped up in his own terror.

Despite what he had told Obi-Wan, Luke was no calmer about becoming a Sith. He knew on some level that it was not right, but he also knew he had no other choice. He could not disappoint his father, and he certainly could not kill his father.

When Luke was led into the Throne Room, he found himself searching for Rickon. All the Red Guard looked the same of course but Luke knew Rickon's Force signature well. Luke was neither surprised nor disappointed to know his friend was not there. For one Rickon would probably have weeks of training before he was actually set to protect the Emperor. Secondly Luke had enough pride not to want his friend there for this. Luke did not mind kneeling before the Emperor, but he would mind Rickon seeing.

Luke was, however, surprised to find his father in the throne room. Last Luke knew his father was somewhere in the Outer Rim crushing the Alliance. He certainly had not been home the night before.

But Luke managed to keep his surprise from showing as he walked towards the throne and knelt in respect, "Master, Father."

The Emperor motioned for Luke to stand while turning to his father, "Thank you Lord Vader. You may leave for the Death Star at once."

Vader nodded to his master before turning to leave, barely looking at Luke as he passed. He didn't need to look though because he sent Luke a very clear mind message through their Force bond. _"I do not know what the Emperor has planned for you, but I know it may be some time before we meet again. When you return we must have a discussion about our future, but for now do as he commands. And Luke, always remember that I lo… I am proud of you."_

He could not say the word even through their mental link, but Luke swelled in pride. That was the closest his father had ever gotten to admitting to loving his son. _"I love you as well Father. Until we meet again may the Force be with you."_

"You may all leave as well," the Emperor told his guards, even the hidden ones, much to Luke's surprise. "I am certainly safe enough with my young apprentice."

The guards did not question it but marched with precision from the room. Once they were completely alone the Emperor finally turned his attention to Luke. He tried to break through Luke's mental shielding, but found the resistance too strong. Of course he could ask Luke to lower his shields and the boy would be forced to do so, but that would eliminate half the fun. "Come here, let me truly look at you."

It was odd for Luke to climb the dais and stand so close to the Emperor that he could see beneath the hood. He looked beyond old, with sickening wrinkles that reminded Luke a bit of a Hutt. His eyes were the truly striking bit though; they shone the deepest shade of haunting yellow Luke had ever seen. _The eyes of a Sith. Someday my eyes will be like that._

Despite what Luke was about to do he still found the thought horrifying.

"You truly are no longer a child," Palpatine decreed running a cool finger across Luke's cheeks. "Finally you are prepared to learn the true power of the Force. Pledge yourself to me and my teachings."

Luke knew he'd have to do it, but he still felt slightly sick getting down on a knee. "I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith," he spoke his eyes unable to meet that sickening yellow.

Palpatine did not seem to mind, "Good. Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth…Joch."

Luke knew that he was no longer a Jedi but a Sith, and yet he still did not let in the Emperor's darkness which pushed against him. "Thank you. My Master."

"Rise, Darth Joch," the Emperor demanded and Luke did so, attempting as much grace as he could manage despite his shaky legs. "You are well trained, but there is much more you have to learn. Before you can learn, however, you must prove yourself worthy by completing that which your Father has begun. Then you will be worthy to be my apprentice."

Luke didn't think that made much sense. First the Emperor said Luke was a Sith, was Darth Joch, but then Luke still had to prove himself. He wasn't about to point out the flaw in the logic however. "What must I do Master?"

"You are to tear down the Alliance from the inside," Palpatine answered with a sick smile. "To most of the galaxy you are unknown. You can easily join them, earn their trust. A pilot with your abilities will be gladly accepted, and you can quickly move up the ranks. You need not even report in often, simply sow seeds of mistrust within the organization and watch it crumble around you. Once the rebels have fallen you will truly be worthy of your new name."

Luke shouldn't have been so surprised, but he was. What did he know about being undercover? What did he know about toppling an organization that was only trying to do the best it could? But this was the challenge Luke had to face if he wanted to fulfill his destiny, if he wanted to do what was best for the galaxy, if he wanted to be with his father. "I will not be able to earn their trust if my aim in a battle is always conveniently off."

"You are to be completely undercover," Palpatine told him. "Any Imperial soldier who sees you will shoot to kill, and you are to shoot them back with the same intention. Their deaths will be an unfortunate consequence of this war, but they will be sacrificed for the greater cause. Every member of the military is willing to die to see the Alliance fall. If they die at your hand they are doing just that."

Luke felt a shiver creeping down his spine, and it wasn't just because of Palpatine's dark presence. No, the rationalization of death in war was what worried Luke so, and yet he knew that was the way of the galaxy and he could no longer be a child who pretended otherwise.

"No one will ever know that my true allegiance is to your teachings," Luke managed to say with a deep breath and a nod. "Master."

Palpatine clearly enjoyed hearing Luke call him that. "Good, no go and make your arrangements. I would suggest travelling to the Outer Rim if you hope to find the Alliance enlisting site."

That was certainly a ridiculous thought, but Luke didn't smile as he stoically made his way towards the door. He was almost free of the Emperor's presence when the Sith called, "Smile more my young apprentice. I'll see you on the other side of the war."

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 **Just Anny** : I've always been a very prolific writer when I actually sit down to write. It's just that second part I struggle with. Yes the summary basically spoiled the first 2 chapters, but what can a girl do. I'm sorry the sith training itself will not happen, but plots are just annoying like that. And AHH did you watch Rebels? I cried through the whole thing because Ezra is reminding me far too much of Anakin, which is obviously concerning. Thanks for reading!

 **theLittleKawaiiPen** : I'm sorry for having made you wait. Thank you for sticking with me through the wait!

 **SiriuslyPink** : They're not so much estranged as just not together. I know I don't see my parents half as much as I did when I was younger just because I'm so busy, and my parents don't work on the other side of the galaxy. I'll admit there isn't as much Luke/Vader in this fic as the originals, but their connection drives all of the action even when Vader isn't present. Thanks for reading and I hope it doesn't disappoint.

 **Guest** : Thank you for having so much faith in me! I obviously won't tell you how light/dark Luke is, but I think this chapter gives a fairly good indication of where he's at Force wise throught most of the story.

 **0rigami** : Thank you very much!

Also, to whoever the 6th reviewer is thank you and I'm sorry I can't reply. For some reason I can't see your review at all. At least the others showed up in my email if not on the sight. Well that's all for now folks. Don't forget to review and I'll see you tomorrow.


	3. Chapter 3

You guys spoil me, you know that? Thank you all for taking the time to read and review. Fanfic is still giving me trouble with review replies, so your answers are at the bottom. Enjoy!

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Chapter 3

As Luke left the throne room his mind spun. _I'm not Luke anymore. I'm Darth Joch. I certainly don't feel like a Sith though… actually I feel quite normal._

Still he was a Sith, almost, or well more almost than he had been the day before. It didn't really make much sense to Luke if he was being honest with himself. What did make sense was what he had to do. _I'll go, join the Alliance, and tear them apart from the inside. I can do this. I have to do this. For my Empire, my master, and my father._

It did not once cross Luke's mind that if he was truly a Sith the only reason he'd do anything was for himself, and yet that hadn't even made it onto the list.

It did cross his mind though that his task was nearly impossible. Oh Luke knew how to sabotage things; he'd been doing it accidentally for years. He even had a vague idea how to sow the seeds of distrust amid the Alliance that could cause it to crumble. What Luke wasn't sure of was how he, the son of Darth Vader, was supposed to get himself into the Alliance. Even if no one recognized him it wasn't like the Alliance just had recruiting stations. And if someone did recognize him…

Luke couldn't think about that possibility. He had to focus on finding the Alliance and getting them to accept poor, family-less, Luke Lars of Tatooine. That would be hard enough a task.

"Hey Luke."

Luke had been so focused on his planning that he hadn't noticed Leah staring at him from the other side of the hallway. He smiled a bit at the sight of his friend. She'd cut her hair when school ended, and looked nice and, well, mature. Luke would even go so far as to say beautiful, though not to her face of course. "Hey Leah, you not in class?"

Leah had elected to go on and study finances at Coruscant University, which was probably for the best. Luke couldn't picture doing more school, but he also couldn't picture Leah doing anything other than school. She loved to read, especially those things that weren't just storybooks. She actually just liked knowledge.

"I have the whole summer break before classes," Leah reminded Luke with a grin. "You know, like we have had in every other school year."

Of course Luke knew that and yet... It was weird to think he and Rickon had jumped right into their new lives while Leah was still left behind in their old world. Usually Leah was so far ahead of them it wasn't funny. "Um yeah, of course. Makes sense sorry… I have a lot on my mind."

Leah could tell, and she knew why. "You're still you though and alive. It makes me wonder what he has you doing. He wouldn't let anyone you know."

There was, of course, no reason to ask who 'he' was. "You know I can't tell you then, but you'll find out sooner or later I'm sure," Luke told her letting his smile show. "Hey Leah, keep an eye on Rickon and my father for me, will you? It… it might be a while before I get to come home."

"Luke," Leah bit her lip and reached out to hold his arm. "Luke you be careful as well. But mostly… well just remember that you don't have to be like your father. No one has to be. When you're faced with the hard choices do what you know to be right, not what your father or the Sith or anyone else says is right. You are a good person Luke and I trust you to always do the right thing. And those who love you… we will still be here rooting for you no matter what."

Leah claimed she didn't know what Luke was facing, but clearly that wasn't true. She didn't know the mission but she knew Luke far better than he knew himself. "I know and… well I should go. I'll see you when I get back, okay?"

"When you get back a lot of things will be different between us," Leah looked nervous, and Luke wondered what she knew that he didn't. (There were certainly too many things to count.) "But don't let you be one of those things. And Luke?"

"Yeah?"

"May the Force be with you."

The Force was with Luke, but what side of it he wasn't quite sure as he moved out of the Imperial Palace. He planned on returning home to deal with a few things, mainly his droids. As difficult as it may be to bring the droids with him to the Alliance Luke knew they would not be there upon his return otherwise. The destruction of the Alliance could take a really long time, and Vader would probably chop up 3PO within a day should Luke leave him behind. R2 would probably be safe, but X-Wings used astromechs and Luke couldn't imagine having any droid besides his own.

The Alliance really had no need for protocol droids, however, and so Luke was kind of stuck on what to do. Finally though he came up with an idea. Pooja had been eyeing 3PO for years and would gladly care for him while Luke was gone. But the droid tended to have a big mouth, and as much as Luke trusted his cousin he also didn't want to get anyone in trouble. That's why he sat them both down (well sort of), and made it very clear what was about to happen. "The Emperor has assigned me an undercover mission within the Rebel Alliance."

"Master Luke that's terrible!"

"I will be fine," Luke assured his constantly-anxious friend. "But things are going to change. R2 I was hoping you'd come with me. I understand if you don't want to; it might be dangerous. But if you want to come you can, so long as you can keep your mouth shut. No one can find out that I'm a spy. No one can know who my father is. If someone asks you can't tell them anything, or I will be killed."

3PO looked horrified. "Oh Master Luke, R2 you mustn't. It's simply too dangerous!"

"Disobeying the Emperor would be far more dangerous," Luke reminded gently. He had agreed to this mission. Failure would not mean he could never be a Sith. Failure would mean death. "For me at least. Not you R2. It's up to you."

R2-D2 had already lived through one war and he'd decided long ago that it was his personal responsibility to keep the Skywalkers safe. There was no way he'd not go, and he chirped so.

Luke was worried for his droid, but he was also secretly pleased. "3PO I really don't know what I would need you for on my mission, and I know it makes you anxious when things are dangerous. I was thinking I could send you to my cousin Pooja, you remember her? She'd love your help, but you'd need to keep quiet too. I don't want to wipe your memory but I will if I have to."

"By the Maker!" 3PO cried. "There shall be no need for that. I don't like sending you and R2 alone you just attract trouble, but if you think it is best I would gladly assist your cousin."

Luke sighed in relief. He really didn't want to have to worry about his golden droid amid the Alliance. R2 could handle himself. 3PO on the other hand… "Thank you, both of you. I may also use you to carry messages 3PO, so don't lose that Comlink I built you. And if I ever call never address me as more than Luke or question what I'm saying. Just find a way to pass the message on word for word to my father, understood?"

"Yes Master Luke," the droid seemed nervous, but also filled with self-importance knowing he would have a role to play in their mission as well. "Do take care of yourselves, alright? I would hate to lose you both."

R2 made some comment about 3PO being too emotional for a non-sentient, but Luke smiled. It was nice to know how many beings, droids or not, he had looking out for him and waiting for his return.

Glad to be done with that Luke went to packing. The more he thought about it the more obvious it was to Luke that he'd have to use Kes to get inside the Alliance. He had no other ideas of how to contact them, but Kes was from Yavin IV. Surely he had family or friends or someone who knew where he was and could get a message. Luke felt a bit bad using his friendship with Kes to destroy the Alliance, but it was for the best. Kes had no idea what he'd gotten himself into, but with Luke's help he'd probably survive the destruction.

And Luke really didn't have many options.

But Kes knew who Luke was, sort of. He knew enough about Luke that he'd have to come up with some explanation for his years on Coruscant and Force abilities. Obviously Luke couldn't just tell the truth and hope the Alliance shrugged it off.

So a plan and a backstory formed in Luke's head as he packed a single bag worth of his most mundane clothes and other useful things. His lightsaber would be a lot more difficult to smuggle in, but Luke certainly wasn't going without it.

"Hey R2," Luke called suddenly getting an idea. "Do you have any compartment that might fit my lightsaber? They will probably check my bag and stuff, but they can't check you if they don't know what they're looking for.

It turned out that R2 did have a nice little compartment perfect for holding a lightsaber, and so that was one more problem solved for Luke. Soon enough he had a bag that looked like the normal things a runaway foster-kid would have, and now all he had to do was find out where exactly on Yavin IV Kes came from and deliver 3PO to Pooja.

It took Luke all day to find Kes's hometown, and so Pooja was finishing up in her office when Luke arrived. She seemed surprised to see him, no wonder considering Luke had stopped receiving lessons from her over a month before and they'd barely spoken since. She had a smile on her face though, so Luke knew it wasn't an unwelcome surprise.

"How are you?" she asked pulling her little cousin into a hug. Luke had finally surpassed her in height about a year before, but they both knew she still saw him as her _little_ cousin.

Luke didn't feel too little. "I'm not bad. Sorry for not having been around much since our lessons ended but things have been hectic. You?"

"A bit bored since the Senate disbanded, but I think it's good that I'm staying here on Coruscant for a while longer. At least I can sort of make a difference." There was a definitive sadness in her voice that made Luke feel bad, but he'd been told the disbandment of the Senate was for the best. And really they'd never had any real power, so Luke liked that the illusion was gone.

"Of course you're done with school now, so you're probably making a real difference. Tell me what you've been up to."

Wouldn't she be scared if she knew? "I'm sorry, but I can't. Pooja…Well I've come to ask a favor of you and… and well to say goodbye I guess. I'm being sent offworld for an indefinite period of time, and I won't be able to contact you."

Pooja bit her lip. Obviously she knew this was a possibility, but she didn't seem to like the idea of a teenage Luke off on his own. "What can I do for you?"

"Just take care of my droid, 3PO. I don't trust my father not to get angry and destroy him, and I can't take him with me. Please?"

It was such a simple request, the living proof of Luke's kind nature no one understood. It made Pooja smile though, "Of course I will. I'll be glad to have him. But Luke please be careful. I know… I know you don't have a lot of choice right now but know your family will always be there for you. Even if you ever decided to do something your father wouldn't approve of…"

Luke cut her off, not wanting to hear the words. "I'm proud of the opportunities I've been given Pooja. I need to be grateful for them too and do my part to make everyone in this galaxy safe. Tell Ryoo and everyone else that I'll be thinking of them, okay?"

"Won't you come and have dinner with me?"

"The transport I need to be on leaves in less than an hour, or I would," Luke told her kindly going to give her a tight hug. He loved his mother's family, even if they could be a bit harsh sometimes. Luke would miss Pooja especially; she'd done so much to get him to the point he was at. "May the Force be with you."

"And with you, Luke. And please, come home safely. We lost your mother. We can't lose you too."

* * *

Sicadeus: Thanks for reading. I personally pronounce Joch- Jock in my head, but tbh it's Dutch and I looked it up on Google so I don't really know. Anyone speak Dutch?

Siriuslypink:^^^ See above. Thanks for reviewing! I can't say much, but I'll say Luke certainly doesn't like the Emperor any more than his father does. I don't know if that makes hi Dark, however. The Emperor is sorta evil...

: Ha ha thanks for reading. Yeah the review system won't let me see the reviews on the site or reply to them as I would normally, but I can see them in my email. It's weird but this don't work too poorly.

Just Anny: I think the fact that Ezra's power is coming from the Dark Side is terrifying. Thrawn is so great in the EU that I'm pumped to see what they do with him. It should be interesting no matter what. I definitely find writing the Emperor difficult, but I'm glad you don't mind it. And really my reason for not having Sith training is simply plot based. I'm already pushing 60K with this story as is, and I simply would not have had the patience or ability to figure out how to fit it in. Though if you love Dark Luke make sure you read ValerieVancollie's "Dynasty." It's one of the best fics I've ever read. Thanks for the info on the Red Guard. I know a bit about them, but I actually haven't written the scene where they're important yet and the info definitely helped. Thanks for reading!

Dawn Day Rider: Yay! You're here to read it. :)

Elessar226EMC2: Yeah yeah Mike, I know. I wish you had a real account so I could tell everyone to go and annoy you. Guys, meet my boyfriend Michael.

Matri540: You know I never make you guys wait long. I'm glad you're reading.

Welp, that's it for the reviews I can see. Sorry to any that I've missed and see you tomorrow.


	4. Chapter 4

A note on Pronunciation from Just Anny: Joch in Dutch is pronounced jog, without saying the invisible D that english people say when they pronounce the J (djay becomes jay, djog becomes jog). The g (or ch) is a really harsh sound, as if you're gurgling the g through your throat. It is a somewhat rude way to say boy/youngman/kid (but you probably already knew that).

Reviews are at the bottom again. If this isn't fixed within 2 days or so I'm going to start contacting tech support... sigh.

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Chapter 4

The story Luke was going to tell changed a million times before his transport ship made it to Yavin IV. Each time he thought he had something that made sense, he found another hole he'd be unable to avoid. In the end he settled on something that was probably dangerously close to the truth, but was the only story that couldn't be torn to pieces. All he had to do was keep track of everything he said and make sure no one knew he was lying…

Luke was terrified. As he traveled through hyperspace he couldn't help but think of the millions of ways his mission could go terribly one. For one he could be found out by the rebels, who would surely torture and kill him should they get a chance to have revenge on Vader. Then there was the even more fearsome possibility of Luke finding himself killed or captured by good Imperials he couldn't tell the truth too. His only options then would be to die or to kill them, and he didn't want to face that decision.

But the most terrifying possibility of all for Luke was that he'd fail. For some reason or another he wouldn't be able to, or wouldn't be able to bring himself to, destroy the Alliance. Partially the possibility was terrifying because Luke could only imagine the horrific torture the Emperor would surely bestow upon him for failure. Luke was no fool and he'd been bonded with his father long enough to know how Sidious reacted to failure. A failure of that level would certainly mean the most terrible, painful death imaginable, and that wouldn't even be the worst bit of it.

No. No the worst bit would be that Luke would have to face his father's disappointment. His father who had spent so much time training and loving Luke would quite possibly die of heartbreak should Luke be unable to fulfill his role in the Force's plan. He wouldn't be angry. He wouldn't lash out. He'd just know how weak Luke really was, and Luke was so weak he didn't want his father to feel that kind of pain.

So he could not be discovered, and he could not be killed, and he could not fail. Luke had no choice but to somehow manage everything perfectly, and the sooner he did it the sooner he could go home.

Home. Kes's home was a beautiful jungle planet, and Luke's was… well he wasn't quite sure. Coruscant certainly was no home for a farm boy, and yet the farm had been no home for a Force-Sensitive. Luke didn't really have a home, yet. Soon as he finished his mission he could build a home for real. Surely he could.

The village that Vorus's (poorly sealed) records had Kes listed as coming from was on the side of the moon adorned by temples, and Luke found himself staring at the imposing structures. Of course he'd seen many things more incredible than them, but there was something about the life that flowed through them that just knocked Luke off his feet.

 _Wait. Life in an old temple? That doesn't make sense._ Luke realized pausing outside one of the structures. Most old places had some Force presence, it was true, but surely not something so filled with hundreds, maybe thousands of individual beings of all species… _By the Force Kes. No wonder you got sucked into the Alliance. You literally live besides them._

Luke could not believe his luck. He'd been assuming it would take weeks if not months for him to find someone who'd admit to knowing where Kes was and send him a message, but no. No Luke had accidentally stumbled upon a major rebel stronghold. He barely even needed Kes.

Actually part of him wanted to send a message and let his father come to destroy the base. The only reason he didn't was because it would be almost impossible for Luke to find another way into the Alliance. Perhaps he still could send that message once he was properly situated on some different base where no suspicion could come to him. After all the base was probably the largest of them all, far larger than the meager things Luke had come to believe the Alliance had.

"Hey, you can't be here," a voice called urging Luke from his thoughts. A young man dressed in a Yavin IV militia uniform yelled at the teen as he ran over one hand on a blaster. "The temples are restricted government property. You can't just wander around here."

Luke knew he was getting too old to act like a dumb kid, but, as he was still hoping for one more growth spurt and most people usually assumed he was only like 15, he just tried not to act like a teenage punk. "Sorry sir. I was just looking for an old friend of mine and I heard a rumor he might be around here somewhere. You don't know a Kes Dameron, right?"

Apparently Luke's luck was holding, because he felt a flicker in the Force which said that this 'militia man' did, in fact, know Kes despite him saying, "Never heard of him, but I know there used to be some Damerons down in the colony. I think they got wiped out years ago though."

Wiped out? Luke realized only then that he didn't exactly know what had pushed a teenage Kes towards the Alliance, and the pit in his stomach said he might not want to know. "Oh, well if you happen to know anyone who might know him, have them tell Kes that 'Luke is finally ready to take him up on his offer and will be eating dinner at whatever the cheapest place in town is."

The (rebel) guard nodded, but waved his blaster in an obvious show of 'move along.' "Sorry I can't help you with Kes, but let me tell you, Galaxy 9 is not only cheap; it's palatable."

Luke nodded his understanding, and headed into town. He'd have a good few hours before Kes would get the message and (hopefully) meet him for dinner, so it might do Luke well to view the sights and review his cover story.

He'd gone over the answer to every possibly question Kes could come up with a dozen times, but as Luke attempted to read the Galaxy 9 menu he couldn't help but be nervous. It wasn't that he thought Kes might not come; Luke knew he would. No Luke was just worried because he knew once Kes showed up he'd have to begin betraying his friend, and it wouldn't stop any time soon.

 _I can help Kes, help him realize that the Empire isn't perfect but at least it gets stuff done. And I can tell him about how great it will be when my father and I are the rulers. Then he'll realize the Alliance is just a bunch of fools who think chaos breeds order, and he won't have to perish with them. Really this is you saving your friend, not betraying him._

Luke could repeat the words to himself as much as he wanted; he still knew that not even he believed them. Still, what other choices did he have? Luke liked Kes and they were good friends once, but Luke loved his father more. Luke loved his father more than anyone else in the galaxy.

The Jedi/Sith sensed Kes as he walked by the diner carefully, probably studying to make sure it was actually Luke. Still the teen pretended to be surprised when Kes came and sat down across from him, a smile beaming on the rebel's face. "When Jofth told me a Luke had been asking about me I almost didn't believe it, but it's really you. Force you've gotten so old, but you're still short."

Luke really wasn't that short. At least he was taller than most girls, even if he was shorter than basically every guy in the galaxy. "Well I'm not a kid anymore Kes, and that's why I'm here."

Kes nodded, but did little more than order when the waitress-droid came around to them. It was only after they left that Kes really looked at Luke. "But you're not eighteen, right? Not until right after Empire Day, and that's not for a couple of months."

Luke shrugged, but he found it hard to believe that Kes really was going to turn him away because he was not technically an adult on certain planets. There were certain planets where you weren't technically an adult until you ran through forests naked for a week; adulthood was hard to quantify. "You were gonna let me come when I was fifteen. Isn't a few months better?"

"Yeah, but still…" Kes took a deep breath and really studied Luke, noticing for the first time the teen's mechanical arm. "Kriff Luke, what happened to you?"

Luke gulped as he realized it was time for the half-truths to kick in. "Um, well, Darth Vader's lightsaber." It wasn't even a lie, none of the best lies were, but Luke still felt a bit slimy deceiving Kes. Even if he knew this was his life now and that deceit was the way of the Sith, which he totally was, of course.

"Sith's Hell," Kes whispered eyes wide with obvious horror. "No wonder you want to fight. Okay Luke, here is the deal. Back home we have to keep a certain level of security, I'm sure you understand, which means most people who move there come to live with a friend. We call these friends your sponsors. Basically if you screw up we're the ones who get our heads chopped off."

Luke stared in horror. So if he got found out as a spy then Kes…

Kes broke off laughing, "Force kid you're still so gullible. Who do you think we are, the Empire? Nah sponsors aren't responsible if their recruits go wrong. It just means you'll be in my squadron until you settle in and we figure someplace better to put you… you do want to be a pilot, right? I know you did as a kid but that could have changed…"

As if Luke could ever want to be anything other than a pilot. "No, no! Pilot is great. Really, I can fly well."

"Good, I believe it too. The only thing is Luke that I have to sort of write up a report about you, submit it to those at the top for approval and all, like I said, security. Don't worry everyone passes within a day or two. I could probably set you up here in town…"

"I already booked a room," Luke assured Kes not wanting to take whatever pathetic salary the Alliance gave and use it. Luke had plenty of accounts that were completely untraceable to his father, and so money would never be an issue. (So long as Luke kept spending down so no one realized just how not-an-issue it was.) "I didn't know if I could find you and R2 doesn't like being dragged around jungles so…"

"You have your own droid? That's awesome," Kes told him with a grin, obviously meaning it. "I always just use one of ours. Anyways, the only thing is that, well, I can't really write up this report based on info from years ago. It's not that I don't still trust you. You saved our lives on Coruscant for sure. It's just that high command will want to know a few things and to be honest well I want to know too. I've always worried about what happened to you, and obviously I was right to if Vader took your hand so what happened after I left Vorus?"

Luke had been expecting this of course, so he simply took a deep breath and let the words come as he'd practiced them. "A little while after you left I was taken from class and told that Vader had finally returned from his mission and was ready to interrogate us. When he got to me well he mostly just laughed. When they went to release me though they decided that living with an Aunt and Uncle on Tatooine made me to high risk of actually joining the Rebellion, so they did a blood test and looked into some other options. It turned out that my mother, the mother whose name I didn't even know, had parents and a sister who didn't know I existed either! Well my aunt lived on Naboo which is obviously a loyal planet, so I was sent to live there. I lived with Aunt Sola since, but my cousin, well she was kinda the senator for Naboo so I went to Coruscant with her a lot. That's why I was at those Empire Day ceremonies, with my cousin. Good thing too or you'd be dead, huh."

Kes nodded, "Pretty much. Is that what you meant about you being in a position to do some good? Because you lived with a senator?"

Luke hadn't thought about that comment, having long forgotten it, but Kes's assumption was as good as any. "Yeah, exactly. And Pooja is great, really. She worked tirelessly to make the galaxy a better, fairer place. I think the only reason she didn't go and outright support the Alliance was because she didn't want me to get hurt if she was discovered. But now the Senate has been disbanded and there is nothing more I can do from Naboo or Coruscant so… I want this galaxy to see peace Kes. My whole life we've been at war, and I want it to end. I want there to be peace and fairness and goodness, and so I have to fight." Because fighting the Alliance was the only thing that could bring that peace. "My father really was a Jedi you know. And Jedi, they were supposed to be peacekeepers, but they were knights too because sometimes you have to fight to defend the peace. I want to be like my father." And he did. Luke did so badly.

"But you're not a Jedi?" Kes sounded so hopeful it hurt Luke to crush his dreams, but his words were the truth.

"No, I'm not a Jedi." Not really. I _'m a Sith apprentice. I'm not even really Luke. I'm Darth Joch. I am a Sith, like my father before me, as it should be._

Luke almost had himself believing his words the way Kes obviously did. "Wow. Just, wow. You know there are rumors that we have one or two former Jedi in the Alliance. Maybe one of them can teach you. We could sure use a trained Jedi."

"I don't think you can just train to be a Jedi, but that sounds cool." Well no. To Luke the idea of meeting another Jedi sounded completely terrifying because they'd probably see the Dark side in him but… Well hopefully it just wouldn't come to that.

Kes nodded, probably wondering how one came in contact with a Jedi in hiding. Or maybe he was just wondering how rude it was to ask about the hand. "Everything you've said makes sense, but I don't get the hand. Why would Vader mutilate the cousin of a senator? And why didn't the senate pitch a fit?"'

Luke clenched his metal hand in annoyance. He hated letting anyone believe that his father had hurt him, but Luke couldn't admit that it was actually a rebel who did it. Most people would be quick to realize that you don't exactly fight for the people who tried to murder your father in front of you and then chopped your hand off when you tried to stop them.

But to be with his father again Luke had to keep up the act. "He lives in the penthouse of the senatorial complex. Let's just say he and his son had a fight and I was involved and then, well then I was missing a hand. And I was just glad he hadn't killed me because he knew my dad was a Jedi, so Pooja didn't let any of the other senators know."

"Do you remember when you planned on killing him? You were far too tiny at the time but maybe now you actually can. Now wouldn't that be nice?" Kes asked laughing.

Luke felt sick, but he forced a laugh as well. The sooner he was part of the Alliance, the sooner he could see his father again. Luke could feel their bond despite the distance, and was comforted knowing his father was out there, somewhere. _I'll do what I have to do to get home, father. And then no Jedi, no rebel, not even the Emperor can split us up again._

* * *

Siriusly Pink: I love the Son of Suns! Everyone should check them out.

LittleKawaiiPen: Let's just say I listen to Hamilton non stop. Glad you love it too. Yeah Dynasty is great. I had to admit being confused at first but once I knew it was written before the prequels I was good with it. And yeah, Ezra, just stop.

JustAnny: Ha ha thank you very much for the help. Yes I did know that, it's why I picked it. Also I don't know this Empire's Son series. Who is it by? I must read. I'll probably check yours out as well.


	5. Chapter 5

The review system has been fixed, so I've replied to those that I missed and will be sending PMs from here on out unless a guest reviews. Please drop a review and come be my friend. I like friends. Oh, and enjoy as well.

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Chapter 5

Luke was frustrated. He didn't mind irony, per say, but he was finding the Force's games un-amusing to say the least.

He'd gotten up even earlier than normal due to the time difference, and had immediately begun meditating. He'd been hoping that the Force would give him some guidance as to how to go about his mission, but it was silent. The only thing Luke realized while meditating was that he couldn't sense the Dark Side more than normal. If anything Luke was actually more immersed in the Light than he had been in years. This, of course, made him frustrated, which should have brought the Dark Side closer, but didn't. It was as if the Force thought Luke's attempt at being dark was simply amusing, and was doing everything in its power to prevent Luke from achieving his goal.

Which quite simply pissed the teen off, but not enough, apparently, for the Dark Side to approach him. Luke tried to stew in this frustrated anger, but found it impossible. Not even his anxiety about his mission seemed to break down the strong connection to the Light that Luke had been working on for years.

So it was a relief when Luke heard a knock on his door, and R2 dashed to open it before Luke could even tell him to do so. Luckily it was just Kes on the other side, and his wry grin told Luke he would not be spending any more time meditating in this motel room.

"So good news bad news," Kes said smirking. "The bad news is that I got called away on a supply run last night as soon as I got back, am running on two hours of sleep, and only got to submit your application this morning. The good news is that your application set off a few red alerts in the system."

Luke failed to see how that was the good news. Actually he delved into an immediate panic. _They know. Force they know. I couldn't even make it one day. I must have told Kes too much and they know. I'm going to get tortured by the rebels and I've failed my father and…_

"You look ready to cry Luke. Sorry I need to stop joking with you. You're as literal as a Sith." Kes was trying to cheer Luke up. It didn't work. "I put you down as Luke Naberrie, like you asked, but I had to list your father as well, and the name Anakin Skywalker made the application go right to high command. Mothma herself saw it, and you won't believe this, but she knew both your parents! She cleared you right away and asked me to bring you to her today."

Okay, that wasn't as terrible as Luke's first assumption, but he still wasn't thrilled by the idea. Luke knew Mon Mothma from her time as a senator. While they'd never been introduced personally Luke had passed by her dozens of times at different functions. What if she saw him and recognized him as Vader's son?

Still Luke didn't really have a choice, now did he? How many eager young rebels were going to turn down a chance to meet the leader of the Alliance? Especially when that leader knew the parents they had supposedly never met. "That… that sounds great," Luke stammered hoping his trepidation sounded more like nerves than anxiety. "Wow."

"I know. I had the same reaction. So just pack up anything you need to and we can head right there."

And they did head right there. Luke even managed to get past security without a check of any sort on Mothma's orders. That only made Luke more nervous. It was as if she was trying to keep Luke from thinking they suspected him only to sweep in at the last moment and…

 _You're being paranoid Luke. Everything will be fine, I'm sure. She probably is just excited to meet the son of two old, dead friends. She probably knows nothing at all and this is actually just making everything easier for you to do your job. Just relax._

Luke did, calling on the Force to quell his nerves. Soon enough he walked with a stronger step, and almost didn't notice the eyes on him and whispers of 'rookie'. Luke just kept his eyes front and focused on R2's presence at his heels. He would be fine.

Kes led Luke to a large open room filled with a few people and a projector zoomed in on a part of space Luke found himself vaguely familiar with, though for what reason he couldn't recall. Staring blankly at the map was a woman, probably around 40, with cropped chocolate hair and draping white robes. Luke had seen her arguing against one of the Emperor's bills enough times to recognize her easily- Mon Mothma.

She looked up as Luke and Kes entered, and her eyes didn't move once they locked on Luke's face. It made the teen a bit uncomfortable, but he focused on staying calm and acting slightly star struck. On the inside, though, he was thinking about how this woman was almost singlehandedly responsible for the war in the galaxy. Luke could almost hate her for it.

Almost though, because the smile that grew on her face was kind and warm and good, and drove Luke a little bit insane. How could someone be so good and yet so stupid as to fight a never ending war?

"You look so much like your parents. It's incredible," she told Luke coming over to him. "Your mother was sort of a mentor for me. I was the youngest senator at the time, and she was just incredible. I have to admit to not knowing your father personally, but everyone knew of him. They were good people, as is your cousin. Pooja was very close to allying herself completely with us up until a few years ago. I guess I understand why now, and I can respect it. Protecting family is important. I imagine you needed to grow up on your own, make your own decisions about right and wrong. I'm glad you ended up here."

Luke breathed a sigh of relief; obviously she didn't know. "Thank you, but I'm only doing what I think is right. I wouldn't be here right now otherwise." And it was so true.

"That's all anyone can do," Mothma agreed with a smile. She was still studying Luke, probably awed by his existence, but she wasn't the chancellor of the Alliance because she was easily distracted. "Dameron's report says you didn't think you had Force abilities, but I have put out a word to a former Jedi. She's on an extended mission, but when she returns I want her opinion. I know as a fact we would have lost the Clone Wars more than once if not for your father's abilities; we could really use them in this fight against the Empire."

Luke forced a smile secretly wondering how he was gonna fool a Jedi into thinking he was untrained. It certainly would be no easy feat. "Anything to bring the fighting to an end sooner."

"Good," she told Luke with a nod. She still seemed a bit flustered though. "I'm sorry it's just a shock. I never realized Padme's child survived. Bail was there when she died and he said it had been too late. I can understand why he would hide you from the Emperor and Darth Vader, but I wish he had confided in me. I wonder if Leia has any idea. Perhaps I'll ask her next time she comes on base…"

It was clear to Luke that she was just rambling and trying to make the gears in her brain work, but Luke's gears were moving just fine. Sure he's suspected this for years but to have it confirmed so casually…"Wait. Senator Organa is part of the Alliance?"

"Princess Leia is one of the foremost members of Alliance High Command. She's been in this position since she was little more than a child and Vader killed her father."

Luke's mouth actually fell a little slack at that. Surely Mothma was exaggerating. Leia and Luke had the same birthday, and they had been eleven when Bail Organa was killed. Luke knew Leia was rebellious. Luke knew Leia was special and mature. Luke did not think Leia could be helping to lead the Rebel Alliance at age eleven.

Though perhaps she had been by age 15 when she entered the senate… She'd certainly been on the list of suspected sympathizers for years, but her lack of connection to Mon Mothma had always let her fall to the wayside. Actually it was quite clever. "Sorry I just never realized. I went to many senate meetings with my cousin, and I didn't even think the two of you liked each other."

"Leia is like a daughter to me, I assure you," Mothma told Luke with a smile. "We simply didn't want any connection to bring us both down at once. We never imagined the whole senate would come down first. If you'll excuse me I really should actually go send a message to the princess. There is something in this expanse of space that doesn't match up with this map, and I need to figure out what it is. It is good to meet you Luke, and I'll see if I can get in contact with Fulcrum for you."

Luke nodded, hoping that this Fulcrum character didn't come through. As she left Luke found himself studying the map and realized exactly what they were all making a fuss over. _Now what do they want with the Death Star science research station._ Well Luke obviously wasn't about to ask, and he certainly wasn't going to supply them with the information either.

"Hey Dameron, we're on a supply one," a man called as Luke and Kes entered the hanger at the end of their tour. "I've been looking all over for you. Who's the rookie?"

"Wedge this is Luke Naberrie, I'm sponsoring him. He's the one that saved all us on Coruscant two years ago. The kid has finally grown up and is ready to play with the big boys."

The guy, Wedge, laughed at that. "He doesn't look like he's grown up, but his feet might reach the floor. You ever flown an X-Wing kid?"

Luke wanted to know why he would forever be known as kid to everyone who met him. "No, but I've flown lots of other things. I can pick it up as I go."

Wedge and Kes both gave Luke a disbelieving look. "Maybe you should just get settled in," Kes suggested. "You're a member of Red Squadron as long as I'm stuck with these punks, but you can have a few dry runs in the sim first."

"Give me thirty seconds in the sim and I can come with you. Really I'm a great pilot." Luke of course couldn't tell them why he was a good pilot, or mention that he'd been flying everything from Ties to Clone Wars Y-wings since he's gotten a pilot's license.

"You last thirty seconds in the sim first time and you can come," Wedge decided offering Luke a disbelieving grin. "The simulation is nothing like what you'll hopefully get on an easy supply run, but I'll give you a shot."

Kes rolled his eyes, and punched Wedge lightly. "Don't do it kid. Wedge here holds the record for the sim. He's just trying to make you look foolish. Catch up with your R2 unit, settle in. You don't need to do this."

Well Luke knew that, but he wanted to. The best part of being undercover in the Alliance would surely be getting to fly X-Wings all the time. Luke loved the idea of a small, shielded, hyper-drive equipped ship. It was like a dream come true. "I bet I can beat your record by the second try. Like I said; I'm good at flying."

None to Luke's surprise he turned out to be correct. Not only did Luke last 30 seconds his first time in, he also beat Wedge's record by a landslide. Everyone who'd gathered around to watch was stunned by the rookie kid who'd just crushed them all, but no one fought Luke about hooking R2 up to the X-Wing they gave him and climbing in.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Luke was well traveled for his age, a positive side effect of spending school breaks on a star destroyer for sure. Still he'd never been to the planet Kes led him to. It was a beautiful, lush and green, but with patches of water scattered throughout. It reminded Luke a bit of Naboo, but it seemed less developed than his mother's homeworld. It was probably what Naboo would be like if Naboo was situated in the outer rim.

He was curious as to the planet's name, but didn't bother asking. (Particularly because Luke wasn't sure if he was allowed to.) No the teen just stayed in formation as he was told to, and enjoyed the thrill of flying. They ran into no trouble on the way down, which Luke was grateful for, but there was a looming sense of danger in the Force. So really it was no surprise when they got back into the air around the loaded supply ship and saw over two dozen Ties emerge from around the bend of the planet

"Kriff." Luke heard Wedge curse over their coms. "Okay, everyone stay in delta 9h position. Rookie… try not to get shot down."

Luke rolled his eyes; hadn't he proven in the simulator that he was a far more talented flyer than any one of them? It wouldn't do to fight them though. Perhaps it was just a byproduct of living with Darth Vader for years, but Luke knew how to pick and choose his battles.

Speaking of battles… Luke studied the Tie positioning and laughed. They were really trying an 0267? There were only six Wings in Luke's squadron, and yet the Tie pilots were trying that? They would be much better off flying in an OH78 formation, taking out the supply ship's hyperdrive and then just picking off the Wings one by one… As much as Luke didn't approve of his father weakening their forces by killing people, he was starting to see the kind of incompetence that prompted it.

 _But then again,_ Luke reminded himself _. They have no way of knowing that I even know what an 0267 is. Even most deserters wouldn't know the planetary defense formations, and planetary defense crews have an almost nominal desertion rate. Really they had no way of knowing I would know._

But that very much did not change the fact that Luke did know, and so Luke pulled out of formation in time to duck a shot and fly right in between two Ties, using the formation's weakness to cause both of them to explode. The problem with 0267s was that they worked really well in the space right outside a planet's atmosphere, and Luke's squadron hadn't even made it to the upper layer of the atmosphere before being attacked.

"Sith's Hell Luke get back here!" Kes hissed over the coms even as the Ties went up in flame. "One lucky shot isn't worth getting yourself killed."

That seemed slightly hypocritical to Luke. The only thing the Alliance ever got was lucky shots, and Luke knew many rebels had been killed attempting them. "Negative Red 3. If we sit around guarding the transport ship we'll all get killed. The angle of their formation is putting stress on their engines and weapon systems in this atmosphere, so if you come in at a 40 degree angle you can completely blind them and then take them right out."

The radio sizzled for a second, and it suddenly crossed Luke's mind that he'd just killed two of his men. Yes he'd known that undercover he'd have to kill or be killed but… but these were good men with families who would miss them. They were Luke's people. Yes their deaths were bringing the war to an end, and yes they had signed up for that, but it felt wrong to Luke. He'd killed before, but that had been mostly accidental and in defense of his father. This… this was war, and Luke hated that he had to do it.

But he did. Sure the supply ship wasn't the biggest deal in the world, but proving his allegiance to the Alliance was the only way to end the war. If that meant taking down 24 Tie fighters… well it was war. Surely the lives saved justified those lost. That's what Luke's father always said.

Still he was left with a sick feeling in his stomach.

"Kriff I think the kid is right," Wedge finally answered breaking the silence and Luke's thoughts. "Okay, Red 2 and 5 stay with the supplies, and protect its hyperdrive. Reds 3, 4, and 6 do as Red 6 suggested."

Kes and Wedge seemed to have faith in Luke's plan, but the others in the squadron didn't seem to thrilled that the rookie was now making their battle strategies. Still they followed Wedge's order and kept their frustration and jealousy to themselves. Well mostly to themselves. Luke could feel it, but that wasn't really their fault.

Another six ties were blown up before it crossed their leader's mind that one of the rebels knew their attack plan. He must have told them to scatter because their flying quickly became erratic. They were stupid though, and Luke recognized the pattern they were subconsciously falling into.

"Adjust your speed 20% to compensate for lighter atmosphere and then drop 5 degrees to compensate for their adjustment in pattern. Once we're out of the atmosphere be prepared to jump to hyperspace."

"Red six, remember who is red leader here," Wedge chastised over the com, but Luke could tell he'd impressed the older man. "But yeah, do as he says. The kid has a mind for battle like I've never seen."

Really he didn't, but life on star destroyers gets really boring unless you're willing to talk about space battles. Luke had always been willing to talk about those, and so he'd learned a lot more than most people ever did. Say what you want about Imperial officers; they were, in general, quite smart.

Luke got in another three kills, silently morning each death, before they got out of the atmosphere and the shuttle made it into hyperspace. "Get us back to Yavin R2," Luke called to his little droid, and quickly enough the distorted light of hyperspace pulled Luke in.

When Luke climbed out of his X-Wing Kes and Wedge, both of whom were more used to the ship, were standing there staring at him. Luke could feel the confusion, surprise, awe, and even fear mingling in them, and he bit his lip as he waited for someone, anyone to do something. The waiting was painful.

But not as painful as when Kes grabbed Luke's shoulders and shook him back and forth. "What in all nine Correllian Hells were you thinking? You could have gotten yourself killed. You could have gotten us all killed! That was arrogant and selfish and…"

"Kes," Wedge interrupted grabbing the pilot because he could give Luke shaken baby syndrome or something. "The kid took down five Ties his first time out, and probably saved all of us and the supplies. We should be giving him a medal; the kid's an ace."

Despite Wedge's comforting words he too seemed annoyed. "I'm sorry about stepping on your command," Luke said truly meaning it. As much as he was good at leading, maybe as much as he liked it, Luke was sensitive enough not to enjoy hurting others. (Even if they were rebels and his natural enemy as a Sith Apprentice.) "I just noticed the way their formation wasn't designed for atmospheric combat and acted."

"How did you know?" Kes asked, and Luke began to fret. What if in his attempt to be accepted Luke had showed himself too much? "I mean I've been doing this a lot longer than you and I didn't notice until you pointed it out."

Wedge too seemed to be looking for an answer, so Luke tried to keep from shifting foot-to-foot while coming up with a plausible answer that didn't involve his true history and parenthood. "Um. Well…" R2 rammed into Luke's legs in annoyance that they were still in the Wing bay, and suddenly the teen had an idea. "R2 was my father's before he died, and so he has all the footage of Clone Wars dogfights. I've been watching them in secret for years because my aunt would have wiped R2's memory if she knew."

Kes nodded, and Luke breathed a sigh of relief. Only for a second, however, because he turned to Wedge who had the oddest look on his face. "Your father is a clone?"

Luke snorted a laugh imagining how his father would react if he heard that. Kes too seemed to find Wedge's assumption hilarious, but he was the one to explain, "Wedge, Luke's father was a Jedi."

That little tidbit of information did not eliminate the shocked and confused look on Wedge's face. No, no the man just put one hand on Luke and Wedge's shoulders and steered them into a lounge where the other members of Red squadron had gathered. "Ah thank you Porkins," he said as Red five, a large, round man, handed him a bottle. There were already a half dozen glasses on the table, and Wedge filled each one up a little bit with the strange brown drink. "A toast to the rookie, a secret Jedi who, as much as we hate it, saved all our asses today by being a hell of a nerd."

The other guys sniggered a bit at the masked-insult, and each grabbed a glass. Kes handed one to Luke before downing the shot, and everyone had filled up their glass at least once more before Wedge noticed Luke staring at the drink and sniggered, "You've never had Correllian Whiskey before, have you?"

"The kid has probably never had anything before," the guy Luke knew only as Red 4 sniggered. "You better drink it all in one sip or you'll cough it out."

"Maybe he shouldn't," Kes suggested going to take the glass as he remembered that Luke really was only 17 and that Kes was supposed to be helping him settle in and keep out of trouble.

Luke pulled away before Kes could grab the glass though. Sure fighting with these guys would get him accepted, but Luke had seen enough Holodramas to know drinking with them would get him accepted fast. "I've had wine before," Luke told Kes with a scowl. It was technically true. Luke had had a few sips of wine at different political functions. "I've even been drunk before." That had gone over real well with his father.

The other members of the Red squadron didn't seem to believe it, but Luke downed the shot. It was much worse than drinking wine, which he would admit to finding disgusting. The alcohol burned his throat as it went down, and Luke could feel it quickly trying to settle within him. Gently he pushed the alcohol from his system with the Force's help, the only useful advice his father had offered during Luke's little incident.

The others handed Luke the bottle and he took another shot. They seemed surprised that a boy his size could take two shots right in a row and seem perfectly fine, but they relaxed. Either the shots they were taking made them more at ease or Luke's ability to hold his liquor did. Everyone sat in comfortable silence for a second before Wedge spoke, "So is that why you're here? Because of your father."

"Yes." It was quite possibly the truest thing Luke had said in days. He was here for his father. "Family is important."

"I'll drink to that," Porkins said with a smile. "I think that's why we're all here really. The Empire has driven us from our families, and so we need to push back so no one else loses their family ever again."

Perhaps Luke wasn't purging the alcohol quite as successfully as he thought he was, or perhaps he was just naturally loose-lipped, but the words slipped out, "You have to wonder though about the families of the Tie pilots we killed today."

Everyone grew silent for a moment and Luke thought they were going to arrest him for treason, but the bottle of whiskey just made another round. "Do you know why we drink after every mission Luke?" Kes asked after taking his own shot. "It's not because the Rebellion is made of a bunch of lushes you know. We drink after every mission because we don't like killing, even if they're on the other side. Maybe they're just some Imp, but you're right, they're also someone's family. But fighting for peace, justice, family- it's worth the sacrifice of lives."

Yes, yes Luke guessed it was, but he found it odd to know that the Alliance was offering the same exact rational for the war as the Empire did. How could both sides be fighting for the same thing? It didn't really make sense to Luke and yet he knew it was true.

 _When my father is Emperor they will see the peace, justice and family they long for and be glad. They will realize they were wrong after all. Really they're not bad guys. No one seems to be a bad guy in this war actually. I didn't think that was possible, but it's true. That's actually kinda sad._

Luke really wished he didn't have to be worried about letting his undercover status slip out; he could use the numbing effects of the whiskey which burned with each sip.


	7. Chapter 7

And then the reviews decided not to work again. *sighs* responses at the bottom. Don't stop reviewing guys, knowing that it's not working makes me want to see your stuff even more.

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Chapter 7

Over the next two weeks Luke only got to go on a handful of missions, but he found himself quickly getting known as the best pilot in the Alliance. Really it was getting to a point where Luke had to tone down his skills so not to draw any more attention than necessary, but his knowledge of Imperial flight patterns coupled with the Force made everything too easy. So Luke missed a few shots he could have made and was still lauded as the best thing since caf.

No one seemed to resent Luke too much either, which surprised him. Most Imperial soldiers hoped to be better than their colleagues and got jealous whenever someone was rising above them. The Rebels just seemed to care that the job was getting done, not who was doing it. It was odd for someone raised to the other way, but Luke sorta liked it.

If he was willing to admit it (which he certainly was not) there wasn't anything Luke _didn't_ like about the Alliance. X-Wings were far superior ships to Ties, something Luke had known even as a kid but would certainly force his father to recognize after the war's end. Luke liked how everyone was equal. There were ranks, but a commander was in a firefight right next to his men. No one did less just because they were an officer not a stormtrooper; it was true equality.

Luke liked how the squadrons were really just a big family, and how after every mission they drank to those they had lost and those they had killed. (Luke did not think every squadron did this, but Kes would never let them not drink to both. Kes was a good man. Wedge too.)

And Luke especially loved the way people worked better around their leaders not out of fear but out of respect. He was no fool; he knew most people feared Darth Vader. They, after all, did not know about the tender moments he would share with his sick son, or the joy he felt whenever flying. All the men of the Imperial Navy knew was the cold mask of Lord Vader, and that was the way it had to be. Or so Luke had been told. Some people truly respected Vader as a leader, but everyone respected Mon Mothma. It was actually quite awe-inspiring for Luke to recognize the different leadership style, and he resigned to model his own future as a leader on Mothma's style.

If Luke was being honest the only thing he _didn't_ like about the Alliance was that he wasn't technically one of them. Luke knew that even if he wasn't there spying for his master and father that they would turn on him the second they knew who he really was. Even if he wasn't a mole they would assume he was and probably kill him all sight. Daily Luke reminded himself of how they would react should they know the truth, but as many times as he imagined Wedge shooting him in the face he found it hard to picture. The Alliance was full of better people than Luke.

But so was the Empire, and that was where Luke's loyalties had to lie. Kes and Wedge were great friends, even if they did treat Luke like a pesky little brother, but they would both be first in line to kill an Imperial Guard, to kill Rickon. And Rickon would gladly kill Kes and Wedge should they get close to the Emperor. It simply confused Luke, and he wished daily that he could just find a way to complete his mission so there would finally be one side who wanted peace instead of two.

Luke was meditating on that confusion and trying to sort out how he could tear down the Alliance without tearing down its people when he heard a knock on his door. It was the first day off Luke had had since arriving on Yavin, and he was desperate to just sink into the Force for a few hours and figure out his feelings. R2 sat in the corner of the room making chirping noises, but despite the droid's annoying habits Luke had been so close to a full on meditative trance when the harsh knocking pulled him from his thoughts and too his feet.

It took him a minute to steady himself; legs aren't really meant to be crossed like that. The teen was particularly groggy which was the reason he picked for why he did not stretch out with the Force to see who it was on the other side before opening the door.

Torgruta don't generally age the same way humans do, but Luke found it eerily how the woman on the other side of the door looked exactly like she did the day Luke found her in his apartment. Force she was wearing the same exact outfit as if she was an animated character who never changed…

Luke knew he was getting distracted, and his mind shot back to the woman, the problem, at hand. Ahsoka Tano, he remembered her as if they'd met only yesterday. It had been over two years since they'd met and rarely had a day gone by that Luke hadn't wondered why she was alive. From what he got of the minimal conversation between her and his father they'd fought on Malachor and she'd been allowed to live. Why? Obviously she'd known Luke's father before he turned, but so had many of the other who'd been slaughtered. Why had she been spared?

"When they told me Anakin Skywalker's son had destroyed a dozen Ties in only three fights I didn't believe it, but it really is you," she finally began and Luke realized he should probably invite her into his quarters where there were no cameras. (Another thing Luke liked about the Alliance. They respected their members' right to privacy.)

"We should talk," Luke said comforted by the fact that she seemed shocked but did not seem to be arresting him for espionage. Obviously she was waiting to hear why Luke was there, and he'd have to be very careful as to what he said lest she sense deceit through the Force. Luke tried to imagine he was just lying to his father about how the speeder got that little scratch on it, and the familiar analogue comforted him.

Ahsoka nodded and came in. The Alliance couldn't afford fancy quarters obviously, but the Yavin base was large. Luke's quarters were big enough for a small closet, and chair. The chair was currently folded up in the closet to make room for meditation, but Luke didn't hesitate to use the Force to yank it out. It wasn't like she didn't know that he had training.

"So I'm assuming from the way Mothma was raving about you that you haven't seen fit to tell High Command who Anakin Skywalker has become?"

"So I'm assuming from the way I've not been arrested you didn't tell Mothma whose son I really was."

It was a fair enough response on Luke's part, and Ahsoka nodded accepting the seat. "There are many people who would judge you for your father's actions, who would question your loyalty. All I can see when I look at you is a blinding Force presence. Even after all those years living with a Sith you're not Dark. But the safety of this Alliance is fundamental, and so I need to know. Does your father know where you are?"

"He knows I've joined the Alliance," Luke began slowly trying to figure out how best to put it without being deceitful. He could shield pretty well, but Ahsoka was strong in the Force. Not as strong as Luke, but she seemed to know a lot of the same little tricks he did and was countering them. It was actually kinds odd; Luke had always assumed his father created those tricks and no one else knew. "But does my father know I'm on Yavin IV? Obviously not seeing as we haven't been invaded yet."

Again Ahsoka nodded. They sat in silence for a moment, both studying the other, before Luke realized she wanted a more full explanation. And he had to give it to her, and not with the same story he'd been using. No, Luke needed to give her the truth, almost. "I graduated a few weeks ago, and the day after I was summoned to the Throne room," Luke began slowly and the Torgruta leaned forward in her chair to listen attentively as Luke paced. "Sidious declared me his Sith Apprentice, said that the rule of two doesn't matter now that the Jedi are gone. I doubt he means it. He probably just thought I'd kill my father." Luke hadn't admitted it to himself, but the words slipped out making him suddenly cold. After weeks of lying this truth thing was terrifying. "He told me my mission was to destroy the Alliance, so I joined them."

It really was that simple, and Luke found that disturbing. It really was true and he hadn't even realized it. Sure he was leading Ahsoka to believe that he joined the Alliance instead of fighting them, but it was still all true. To Luke it had felt like a world of confusion, but it was really a very simple story.

"But why not just embrace the Dark Side? Why didn't they train you as a Sith in the first place?" Luke could tell Ahsoka believed him, and she was obviously more worried about the Emperor and Vader's intentions than Luke's.

Luke didn't know the second part of that question, though he'd been wondering it for some time. As for the first part… "I never felt the Dark Side, not the way I think I was supposed to. I love my father, you have to understand that. I know he kills people and can seem like a monster, but there is good in him and I love him for it. But the Darkness he's surrounded by… it's corrosive. He choked me once. I… I think he killed my mother, or at least he says he did." Luke still didn't want to believe it. "I don't want to hurt him or anyone else because I lose control."

Ahsoka stayed silent for a moment, and Luke felt her prodding at his shields. He attempted to let them down a little bit, trick her into thinking he was showing her the full truth, but if she had proper eyebrows one would have been raised. She truly did seem to know exactly how Luke had been trained to do his shielding. "Anakin taught me how to let down only half of my mental shielding before you were born," she told Luke to the teen's surprise, but it was her next words that shocked him. "But it's okay. I trust you Luke. I don't trust many people but I trust you."

It made Luke a little bit sick to think that her trust was misplaced. Sure he was doing the right thing, but he was a threat to the Alliance. She knew he could be and was trusting him not to be, and she was wrong to do so. It made Luke want to just spill his secrets then.

He didn't, of course. Luke had far too much practice keeping secrets and defending his family to do so. Just because Ahsoka was being kind that didn't make her any less of a threat. She could hurt Rickon, Leah, even his father in a heartbeat. Whatever she was she at least had the skills of a Jedi. "So, my father taught you how to shield? Did you know him well?"

Ahsoka seemed surprised by Luke's question, almost as if she couldn't believe he didn't know. "Anakin was my master up until I left the Jedi Order. I fought by his side for years."

Ah. Well that explained why she seemed to know all of Luke's tricks; they'd been taught them by the same person. "What was he like, back then? My aunt and grandparents have told me so much about my mom, but despite living with him for so long I feel like I barely know my father sometimes."

Ahsoka gave him a sad smile, but quickly plunged into the tale of their first mission. Luke sat for hours listening to her and occasionally pointing out how many of the things his father still did if in a different way. It was odd (for both of them actually) to discover how little the man Luke knew differed from the man Anakin did. Darth Vader could surely be a lot meaner than Anakin, but not Luke's father, not really.

It was hours before the two of them drew silent and Ahsoka finally stood to go. "I'm going to tell Mothma that I'm training you, that way you can use your skills openly and no one will question it much. They don't know how long it takes to get to the level you're at. Anakin would have been proud of you."

She said it almost as if Luke's father was dead, and it bothered Luke. She'd said years ago that she thought there was good in Vader, so why did she now act as if that goodness, as if Anakin, was dead and not just different? "I know it's weird but, but I like to think my father is proud of me, despite everything. We're both just doing what we think is right. There is good in him, I know it."

Ahsoka hung in the doorway, obviously weighing Luke's words. "I know. I saw it when we fought and I saw it in your stories. But promise me Luke that if you come face to face with him now you will not bet on that goodness to save you. You must be willing to fight your father, to the death if you must."

"I can't kill my own father."

"I know," she said her voice gentle even if a bit sad. "But you are here; the Emperor has not won yet. I don't believe in chosen ones and only hopes, but I know that you are the one who is in position to end this war the cleanest, and I hope you will have the strength to do so."

Luke hoped so too, though he was pretty sure every friend he made in the Alliance weakened him a bit more.

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Amnita Defender: Yeah, I used to write when I had time and then post immediately, but I then read a story that was updated daily and discovered how wonderful it was. Plus this way I can change things in the beginning to make them better suit the end. Technically I'm not done writing this, but I only have the last 2 chapters to finish up and they're all plotted out, so yeah. Anyways thanks for reading because there certainly is a lot of trouble to come.

LittleKawaiiPen: 'reads review in class and wants to laugh' "show me how to say no to this, ah". Lol honestly you're amusing me greatly. And I think Luke would definitely start a duel... let's just hope he an stay alive...

Just Anny: Luke is equal parts pathetic and badass. I, personally, love it.


	8. Chapter 8

Reviews are working, so yay. Please leave one. They amuse me greatly. Also, thank you to everyone who has ever read any of my stories. I was looking at my stats today and knowing that all of my stories are in the top 600 most follows, favorites, and reviews just astounds me. There are over 40,000 star wars fanfics on this site, and for you guys to consider me within the top 1% of stories... it's astounding. Thank you.

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Chapter 8

Even the best pilot got hit eventually, and for Luke it happened about a month into his 'training' with Ahsoka. The Red Squadron was out on a routine scouting mission when they found themselves face-to-face with a very non-routine Star Destroyer. Wedge gave the order to jump to hyperspace immediately; there was no reason to stick around, but it was too late. Luke felt the shot coming towards him through the Force as he was trying to calculate the jump to lightspeed, and the force of the blast soon after.

Luke made it back to Yavin IV in one piece; R2-D2 did not. Luke's heart felt crushed as they pulled the little droid out of his X-Wing. His whole front paneling was broken off, and it would take a lot of work to fix him. Luke could do it, but in a way it still felt like losing a friend.

But the pain of the loss disappeared the second he realized that Kes was the one who'd pulled the droid's wreckage out, and that he was staring intently at something hidden inside. "Luke, is this a…"

The teen grabbed his saber from inside the disabled droid, but it was too late. Wedge and the rest of the squadron had looked over at Kes's words and were all staring at the lightsaber. Luke panicked for a second thinking they all knew, but their eyes held awe, not fear. _They're not thinking of a saber as a Sith weapon; they're thinking about the Jedi._

"Mothma got you in contact with a Jedi, didn't she?" Kes finally whispered staring at the weapon in Luke's hand. "Why didn't you tell me?"

Luke shrugged, trying to keep their false line of reasoning intact. "I was waiting until I had more training. I… I didn't want you to be disappointed if things didn't work out."

"Well obviously they are," Wedge finally decided breaking into an all out grin. "Kriff our little Luke's a Jedi."

The rest of the squadron nodded seemingly proud of what the 'kid' of their squadron was doing. Luke just smiled and laughed while pretending not to want to cry. Oh if only they knew. It was painful lying to his friends (because they were his friends even if they were on the wrong side of the war).

"Thanks guys. Um. I'm glad you're not upset. Look can you mind not telling everyone though?" Luke asked wondering if he would not be better off using Force persuasion to keep their mouths shut. But that would be wrong and just because Luke was a Sith that didn't mean he had to do the wrong thing. "Like I said- I don't want everyone getting their hopes up if it turns out I'm terrible."

The members of Red Squadron nodded solemnly, and Luke grabbed R2 and headed back towards his quarters to start fixing his droid companion. He didn't even make it halfway there, however, before he almost literally crashed into Mon Mothma. "Sorry ma'am," the boy answered automatically. He had, after all, taken many years worth of lessons in manners.

"It's alright, I was just coming to look for you actually," she noticed the destroyed droid in Luke's arms. "You know he belonged to your parents first. I can have someone get to work on him while we talk."

Luke shook his head secretly impressed to know there was someone in the galaxy that got just how much of a person a droid really was. "If you don't mind I'll just work on him myself. What did you need to talk about?"

Mothma pursed her lips and ushered for Luke to follow him. For a few moments he began to wonder if he'd been discovered, but he sensed no deceit from the Rebel leader. She seemed… worried? Yes she was definitely worried about something (probably how they were losing the war), but not upset as she would have been had she known the truth. Only slightly nervous Luke followed her all the way into a part of the base he'd never seen before and discovered, much to his surprise, that Mothma actually had an office with a real door. Normally her planning sessions were done in fairly public areas; the level of trust amid the Rebellion was stupid. (As Luke's father would have said. Luke thought it was actually quite beautiful.)

"Sorry for the mess. I usually only come in here when I need some quiet to think, but I figured you wouldn't want someone overhearing," Mothma began offering Luke a quiet smile. "Fulcrum assures me your Jedi training is coming along impressively. In fact I think she called you a true master. I want to ask you if you would be comfortable with revealing your abilities now. I know it's a lot to ask, but there is a task I have for you that no one will understand if they cannot know the truth."

Sometimes the strange coincidences in Luke's life that he wondered if he was actually stuck in some bad Holonovel. "I had my lightsaber hidden in R2… my whole squadron just found out. I guess it can't be worse. What is it you need of me?" Luke didn't like being exposed but from the sounds of it Mothma wanted to give him a mission, an important mission, one that could be crucial in Luke's own mission to tear down the Rebellion and bring the galaxy to peace.

Mothma let out a sigh of relief. "I know you're young, younger than I should admit to as a leader of this fight, but we need you. I wish to promote you to commander of a new squadron I'm putting together. You won't get to do as much flying as you may be used to. This new squadron will focus on infiltration, the ah, delicate situations if I may. The kind of situations the Jedi would deal with for the Republic. I may not have a whole army of Jedi, but I have you, and a few other men who I think can put aside your age and succeed. I will not order you to do this. I simply ask you to consider the position. Will you be commander of the pathfinders?"

Commander. Commander. Luke could hardly believe the possibility. He was only seventeen years old and Mon Mothma wanted to make him commander of a whole squadron just because she thought he was a Jedi. That was absurd, ridiculous. _Ahsoka has told you tons of stories where she led whole armies at 15. Your mother led a planet at 14; this really isn't that much responsibility. Especially not when you consider you'll have to lead the whole galaxy someday. Besides this is the perfect opportunity for you to start tearing apart the Alliance. You haven't had any real ideas on how to do that since you got here. This, this is a start._

"I would be honored," Luke told her exhibiting the perfect mix of excitement and maturity. "If you truly think men will follow me I will lead."

"Whether or not they follow you won't matter," Mothma confessed with a smirk. "They will follow your lightsaber. And now, Commander Naberrie, as for your mission. One of our leaders, Captain Oren Kyln has been captured by the Empire. He is a strong man and will not break easily, but the Empire… well it has its ways of making people talk. He needs to be rescued before they can do so."

Hmm. Luke wasn't sure but it sounded to him like failing to rescue this guy on time could be a perfect way to help the Alliance fall. Then again rescuing this guy and proving himself as a commander would give him access to so much more intel he would just need to find a way to send to his father for things to fall apart… hmm. Luke certainly had options, but first he had to get to the guy. One way or another it had to look like he was trying.

"And where is the Captain being held, do you know?"

Mothma didn't move physically of course, but Luke could practically feel her twinge. "That is what makes it so difficult. He was on a scouting mission by Dantooine. It appears he has gotten picked up by the Star Destroyer Tyrant which…"

"Is part of Darth Vader's Death Squadron," Luke finished with a gulp. (It took him a full moment to realize that he'd picked up on the Alliance habit of being nervous when Vader was even mentioned. He felt like the world's worst son the moment he did.) "My engineering class received a tour of it once."

Mothma nodded, but Luke could sense her surprise. Clearly she'd forgotten that Luke was supposedly from Naboo and therefore would have seen many things the average Alliance member from the Outer Rim couldn't even imagine. "Then you know your way around it, and you know how heavily guarded it is?"

Did Luke ever. The Tyrant wasn't the biggest ship in the Death Squadron, but it was big enough and his father only accepted the best for his personal squadron. "Yes I do."

"And you're still willing to accept this mission? Even if it might mean you'll die?"

Luke wasn't about to die aboard one of his father's ships, but he obviously couldn't say that. No, no he just smirked a bit, "I'll die fighting for peace in the galaxy."

Mothma smiled genuinely for the first time and nodded, "Very good. Then I will ask you to leave immediately. I'm transferring Dameron as well so you can inform him, but Tuck and Sakas already should be in the hanger bay. You don't mind flying the shuttle?"

Of course Luke didn't mind piloting. All he minded was the fact that Mothma planned on having them take a Rebel shuttle into a Star Destroyer. No wonder the Alliance had such a high mortality rate. It was decisions like that that reminded Luke that his father was a far better commander than anyone in the Alliance could ever be. He'd never make a mistake like that.

Perhaps Mothma saw the apprehension on his face, because she shook her head. "It's an Imperial shuttle, but we didn't have time to get you clearance codes. You'll simply have to improvise. Perhaps a mind trick would be helpful. I am sending you for your Force abilities."

Yeah a mind trick wasn't probably going to work, but no one needed to know that. Luke would simply use one of the codes he knew from sitting around the Exactor the past few summers. Surely one of them would work and they'd be on the Star Destroyer within minutes of dropping out of hyperspace.

"Then the hard stuff begins," Luke continued his debrief of the Pathfinders as they traveled through hyperspace. The team didn't look to terrible really. Kes was, of course, thrilled to still be with Luke even if he was now under Luke. His words, of course, had been 'everyone served under the Jedi during the Clone Wars. It's an honor, even if you're still a kid.' The words of confidence had been enough to convince Sakas, a pink-skinned Mikkian who had to be tough as one of the Alliances few female soldiers. (Plenty of the leaders were women, but few of the fighters. It was much the same if not worse among the Empire, however, so Luke didn't question it. ) Tuck, the brawns of the group, had been a bit harder to convince, but after showing everyone his lightsaber and levitating a few things the entire squadron had total faith in their teenage-Jedi-Commander.

More faith than Luke had in himself really. He had a plan sure, but it was a horrible plan. It would save the Captain and get them out of their surely, but it could also jeopardize Luke's larger mission. But he didn't have another plan and they only had a few minutes until they dropped out of hyperspace.

"I can mind trick a few bucket-heads into giving you three uniforms," Luke explained wondering for a split second when he'd started using that rebel term for the Empire's dedicated soldiers. "You three will head down to the prison level, get the Captain, and make your way back to the shuttle. I will serve as a distraction and then meet back up with you here. If you get to the shuttle before I do you must leave me here. I don't know half as much as the Captain does which means he is far more important to rescue, understood?"

They all nodded, though Luke could see Kes struggling. In the older man's mind Luke was his responsibility. So maybe the kid had strange Force powers and command over a whole squadron, but he was a kid. You couldn't just leave kids to the Empire…

Kes was practically screaming his thoughts, and Luke answered them with a smile. "I have ways of getting myself free if you leave me behind that won't work if I have to save your sorry asses as well. Okay?"

Sakas and Tuck were much quicker to do so, but eventually even Kes nodded in agreement. "How are you going to distract them though?" Sakas inquired her voice calm and cool. Clearly this wasn't her first infiltration mission.

It was Luke's either, and he, he had a death wish and a knack for stupidity. "I'm going to convince them that I'm Darth Vader's son there for an inspection."


	9. Chapter 9

Does it bother you guys that I don't post at a set time each day? I mean I really can't change it, but I know for some people that means the 'daily updates' aren't really daily. I'm Eastern US time, but I am well aware of the (astounding) fact that people from everywhere read this. Would you guys prefer I try to synchronize the updates some? Let me know in a review if you care. Otherwise just review because I like talking to people.

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Chapter 9

It was a disastrously simple plan, and proof that Luke's father had been right all along about his son being reckless. Yes the plan reduced the possibility of Luke getting shot by his own men, but it also increased the chances of him actually being discovered and ruining his bigger mission.

But it was his plan, and Luke was sticking with it. (And as little as he wanted to admit it, the main reason was that Luke just wanted to see if he could actually pull it off. He was a little bit bored among the Alliance, and he might as well make the destruction of people he'd grown to care about fun.)

"Vader doesn't have a son," Tuck finally answered with an awkward laugh. "He's not human, doesn't have the parts. Besides what kind of woman would want to be near that? She'd either have to be a whore or he raped her."

Luke had to turn away so no one could see his gritted teeth. Sure he knew the Alliance hated his father. Sure he'd heard a lot of bad things about his father. Sure he could have handled Tuck's words if they'd stopped at his father. Luke could not, however, handle the implications about his mother. She was a queen and a senator before she was a wife and a mother. She deserved to be defended, but Luke couldn't. And that hurt more than losing his hand.

Luckily they dropped out of hyperspace soon enough and Luke was saved from having to continue the conversation. The Tyrant was alone, outside of its squadron, but still an impressive sight to stumble upon. Luke had seen Star Destroyers inside and out for years, but his sheer love of the ship's beauty never faded. (Nor did the fear of rebels whenever they saw such a ship.)

Without even being prompted Luke plugged in some clearance codes, and he was surprised that none of his team even asked about it. Either they thought Mothma had provided the codes or they simply thought it was a Jedi thing-Luke didn't care either way. It was far easier for him if the Pathfinders missed clues the way Stormtroopers missed targets. (Of course Stormtroopers just needed better helmets, but no one seemed to listen to Luke.)

"Remember you three stay in the ship until I've knocked out or persuaded whatever guards are in the hanger bay," Luke ordered as he eased the ship in. The bay was relatively empty. Only some 50 of the max 72 Ties lined the walls, and there couldn't be more than a half dozen guards. Obviously they'd been hurt in the fight which caught the Captain, and obviously they were using that as an excuse to slack with security. Luke would have to show them how his father would feel about that. _Oh it's going to be so much fun to just say what I'm actually thinking again._ Maybe Luke was on a dangerous mission, but he couldn't help feeling like he was coming home.

"Yes, Commander," Kes answered, smirking only a tiny bit at Luke's new title. "Now go get them, and may the Force be with you."

The familiar adage brought a smile to Luke's lips as he slipped out of the ship. Without any caution Luke strolled right over to the guards not even flinching once they lifted their blasters. "Who are you? What are you doing in here?"

"You will lower your blasters and return to your quarters," Luke told the three on his left. He felt the Force swirling around him and gently pushed into their minds bending it to his will. As he did so Luke sensed the slightest hint of darkness, but pushed past it to complete his mission. The troopers stared for just a moment before turning on their heels and following the order.

This, of course, freaked out the other three guards who'd simply been standing there. The three of them raised their blasters to shoot, but Luke called on the Force before they could even manage. He remembered an old Force trick his father has used when he was a child, and carefully pressed their minds until they dropped to the floor asleep. Luke cringed a bit at the awkward ways their limbs twisted but motioned for the other Pathfinders to come out.

"Kriff," Kes muttered his dark eyes wide as they stared at Luke. "Remind me never to fight you, okay? This Force stuff is scary."

 _Good. Don't try fighting the power of the Force. It won't ever work in your favor. When you know the truth Kes don't fight me. Remember this and don't fight me._ Luke silently prayed. Sakas and Tuck both seemed slightly terrified as well, so Luke pulled off one of the trooper's helmets to spur them into action. "Hurry up and get changed. I'm heading towards the bridge. Remember- get the Captain and leave, don't wait for me. And if you can't get the Captain… well then get yourselves out. The three of you are just as valuable to them as one Captain; I can assure you of that." It was a lie of course. The only reason they were there was because even combined their knowledge didn't rival the person they were trying to save. If any or all of them fell it would be no greater loss than should they fail. It's only worth the risk to send them if there was no more being risked at all.

But should Luke save the good Captain he might just get the knowledge he needed to be more valuable, and so he'd let them succeed. He'd also let them fail if it came to that. One way or another Luke and the Empire would benefit. He simply hoped Kes and the others didn't get hurt along the way. Rebel or not Luke liked Kes.

Confident that the others would succeed or fail without him, Luke grabbed a datapad from an unoccupied desk and walked towards the main bridge. The Tyrant was easy to navigate for him, and so Luke kept his head down working on his little plot more than looking where he walked. He was halfway to the bridge by the time anyone truly noticed him. "Hey, you there, why are you out of uniform?"

Luke lifted his head to stand face to face with an officer, lieutenant from the badge on his uniform. Rolling his eyes Luke answered the man plainly, not even slightly concerned about the blasters trained on him. Perhaps he was being uncharacteristically cocky, but it felt good to be back in familiar territory. (That and Luke was acting the way he knew people expected the son of Lord Vader to act.) "Thirteen minutes and twelve seconds. Do you know how much damage I could have done in thirteen minutes and twelve seconds? That would be more than enough time to free the Rebel Captain you have onboard or to disable any of your primary systems. I have to say the first bit of my report is not impressive. Well, what are you waiting for, take me to Captain Lennox. Perhaps there will prove to be something I can report on that will ensure my father doesn't kill you all."

Wisely enough the Lieutenant and the others didn't immediately drop their blasters though they did stare at Luke like he was the madman. "And who does your father think he is to send some kid to make a report and threaten us? Lord Vader?"

Luke couldn't help but smirk, "Why, actually, yes. Luke Skywalker, son of Lord Darth Vader, heir to the Empire… now will you please lead me to the bridge?"

They were all far too trusting, and Luke found it disturbing. As little as he'd intended on actually writing a report for his father about the Tyrant's inner-workings Luke found himself including little notes in his larger message. The Lieutenant didn't even question Luke once he revealed his identity, and instead panicked immediately bringing him to Captain Lennox on the bridge.

Captain Lennox was a middle aged man who, like many Imperial Officers, looked as ugly as a Hutt and had much the same attitude. He did, in fact, consider the possibility that Luke was not who he said he was, which the teen found to be refreshing. A simple display of the Force's power, however, seemed to be the only convincing anyone needed. _Please mention to your men that Jedi as well as Sith hold power over the Force. They are easily fooled_ Luke noted down on his datapad.

"It is an honor to have you here with us, um, Lord Skywalker," Captain Lennox told Luke with a nod. Luke considered the title for a second before deciding it didn't fit him at all. Just Luke sounded much better, not that he could say that to a captain without having his father flay him. "Where shall we begin this inspection?"

Luke considered for a second what his actually plan was before deciding that 20 minutes was more than enough time for the Pathfinders to complete the mission themselves if they were going to actually be able to do it without Luke's help. It seemed to him like the best course of action would just be to go and check on their status and then figure out from there whether or not it would be best to actually let this mission succeed.

"I would like to see your detention level. I'm concerned with how well secured the Rebel captain is after I so easily came in unannounced myself," Luke told Lennox focusing on sounding like his father-cool, in control, respectable- so that everyone else would quickly forget that Luke was, quite simply, still just a teenager.

Captain Lennox nodded and began to lead the way, "I assure you that we can handle Rebel scum. And with all due respect your, ah, abilities make infiltration easier. The Rebels would need a Jedi to do so, and they are all dead."

And that arrogance was why the civil war had lasted for Luke's whole lifetime. "Do not be so sure Captain. I encountered a Jedi only last week." Well Luke had seen Ahsoka only last week, so it was true. Even if it wasn't these men needed to know that they couldn't slack when it came to Force users. There were plenty enough out there to do lots of damage.

Captain Lennox gave Luke a look of disbelief that quickly turned into fear as soon as he realized the teen wasn't bluffing. "Very well then, the detention level it is."

Luke nodded and followed behind while stretching out his feelings to see how Kes and them were doing. He could vaguely sense them through the Force, but not well enough to know how they were doing. No alarms had been sounded, however, and Captain Lennox did not seem to be in a panic, so most likely they hadn't been discovered. Whether or not that was a good thing remained to be seen. "Tell me, how much information have you managed to extract from the Rebel?"

"Some," Captain Lennox replied clearly not pleased with the rate of progress. "It seems he has some training in resisting torture."

Torture. Luke knew that, while not officially sanctioned, it was used to speed up the rate of interrogations regularly. The rational was that harming an enemy to get information that would save lives was worth it, but it still made Luke a little sick to think about. "I trust torture was not your first tactic. You did try being civil?"

Captain Lennox gave Luke a look of utter bewilderment that just irked the teen. "Your father set a strict deadline for when he wanted the information by. Civility has never been part of that plan."

That stopped Luke in his tracks (even as he kept walking). His father had ordered the torture? Why didn't his father just come himself and use the Force to get the information if it was so imperative that it be retrieved quickly? Luke wasn't naïve enough to think that his father never used torture but as a first resort? "Well I am sure my father has his reasons. I am simply here to ensure your security is good enough that you don't lose the prisoner before even the more unpleasant methods cause him to break."

"Well I assure you he is well secure. As you can see we're entering the block now and there are guards on every door and…" Captain Lennox stopped as three stormtroopers appeared from within the detention block with the rebel captain cuffed between them. "Where are you taking him?"

The trooper on the left, Tuck Luke quickly realized, spoke first, "We've been ordered to bring him to the interrogation room."

"I gave no such order," Captain Lennox exclaimed looking frantically between Luke and the prisoner. "Remove your helmets and state your identification numbers immediately."

"Sith's hell," Kes whispered before pulling his blaster and promptly shooting towards Captain Lennox. The room descended into chaos as blasts came from both sides, and Luke quickly lit his lightsaber. As he did so the superior-numbered stormtroopers managed to disarm the pathfinders who were quickly forced to their knees.

"A pathetic rescue attempt," Captain Lennox chuckled dryly at Luke. "Shoot the rescuers and return the prisoner to his cell."

The stormtroopers raised their blasters at Kes and the others, and Luke made his decision. "Yeah about that… make sure Lord Vader gets my datapad," Luke called before using the Force to pull the blasters from the troopers' hands and towards the pathfinders. "Take the Captain and leave!" Luke ordered his men. "I'll find my own way out."

Kes hesitated for only a moment, but once the Imperials regained their sense of reality and started to fire he grabbed the others and made a break for the launch bay. Luke meanwhile blocked dozens of blasts with his lightsaber and remembered for the first time in months what it meant to truly use the Force. He moved with remarkable speed using not only the Force and his blade but his environment to knock out his attackers. Once a path was finally made Luke made a break for it himself.

Running down the hall Luke blocked blasts from either side and tried not to directly hit the troopers shooting at him. He was painfully aware, however, that in the chaos he'd hit and killed more of his men. Luke knew it was necessary as they were trying to kill him, but he still hated knowing that he was killing good men who were just hoping for the same end to the war he was. Even more so than the killing, however, Luke was bothered by the fact that it didn't bother him as much as it had in the very beginning. He didn't want to get desensitized to death and yet he was.

(Of course he didn't think on it too much, because he was sort of running for his life.)

Finally Luke reached the hanger bay and was thrilled to find that the Pathfinders had actually followed his orders and left with the Captain. Luke jumped into the nearest Tie fighter and flew out of the bay without wondering whether or not they'd turned on the tractor beam (which they should have. Perhaps the Pathfinders had been smart enough to disable it and that was why it took so long?) When no force pulled him back Luke let out a little whoop and flew down to the planet below where he could undoubtedly get what he needed to modify this Tie and give it a hyperdrive. Now wouldn't the Alliance praise him for thinking of that.

Lord Darth Vader was not pleased to have been called to the Tyrant, especially when Captain Lennox began blubbering out pathetic excuses for how the Rebels managed to free the prisoner.

"They… they had a teenage Jedi with them. He distracted us, made us think he was your son, my… my Lord," Captain Lennox's voice was practically a whisper, but the words finally caught Lord Vader's attention.

"A Jedi claimed to be my son, and you believed him?" Lord Vader questioned with his usual intimidating glare.

"Yes… yes my lord," Captain Lennox stammered. "I'd met your son before and thought I remembered what he looked like. And he had this air about him, like he belonged here, and he claimed his datapad was for making a report for you…"

Darth Vader stared at the captain for a second wondering if this truly had been the work of his foolhardy son. It certainly did sound like the ridiculous schemes Luke was famous for, and his master's spies had reported that Luke had made himself quite a name among the Alliance. "Show me this datapad."

Captain Lennox seemed surprised, but he quickly found the machine and handed it over. "We have been unable to figure out the password, but some of our best scientists are working on it."

Vader ignored the man as he quickly imputed Luke's usual password-Skyguy2- and the datapad opened to reveal a wealth of information. "Do not bother. Captain, I wish for you to wipe this encounter from your ship's memory logs and not concern yourself further. I will take it from here."

The captain seemed shocked to have escaped this little mess up with his life, but Lord Vader was not going to punish the man for having been fooled by his son. Luke could be quite convincing when he wanted to be, and clearly the teen had been having a bit too much fun with his double-undercover mission.

 _Dear Dad,_

 _Congratulations, you've figured out that it actually was me. Enclosed is everything I've learned so far about the Alliance (and a few notes about the incompetence on the Tyrant). Put it to good use, but wait a few weeks so not to bring suspicion down upon me. I've just been promoted to Commander and would hate for someone to figure out the truth now. I hope you have not been worrying about me too much, and I promise I am fine. I'm ready for this war to be over, and soon it will be._

 _Your son,_

 _Luke_

Scanning through the information Luke had provided Darth Vader could not help but smirk beneath his mask. His son was certainly something, and soon the Alliance would be no more.


	10. Chapter 10

So fun fact. The first half and the second half of this chapter were written oh, 2 months apart... That's actually good news, however, because I hit my stride around the end of this chapter and so it actually gets a lot better written. Anyways, enjoy. I love this chapter.

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Chapter 10

Luke did not know his father had received his intel until the first bomb dropped, and it was all chaos from there. Sirens blared. People screamed. Officers yelled. No one seemed to know how the Empire had found out exactly where their base was without them even knowing, and many we're ready to go without a fight. _Fools. Do they honestly think they can match the might of the Imperial Navy? It will be a slaughter._

"Attention, this is Mon Mothma, initiate evacuation procedures immediately. Do not engage the enemy except as a last resort. Proceed to designated rendezvous points," their leader's voice called out across the base. A few people looked like they wanted to argue the orders, but Luke was impressed. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand and fight, and a great deal more to admit defeat.

Luke had been in the hanger bay with the other Pathfinders when chaos broke, so he turned to his team and offered them a reassuring nod. "Load the stuff from Felucia, grab R2 for me, and then get on a transport yourselves. Let the Wings do their job and just make sure as many people get out of here as possible."

Kes nodded, clearly accepting control. He looked slightly hesitant about letting Luke go alone, but they all knew Luke's emergency evacuation duties were different than his team. Luke was the only one who could properly fly a Tie, even among the deserts from the Imperial Flight Academy. Luke was responsible for making sure the Tie he'd stolen got to their new base in one piece as it had been the greatest addition to the Alliance fleet in a decade. Most everyone had had a heart attack when Luke first showed up in at after having been presumed dead for a week, but it allowed the Pathfinders access to Imperial airspace. (Well the ship and Luke's knowledge got them the access, but no one needed to know the second part.)

The Tie was stored in the same hanger as the X-Wings, but most of the pilots were already in the air trying to stave off the attack by the time Luke got his things and back to it. He quickly pulled on his flight suit and hopped in, easing his way into the airspace above.

Luke needed to get the Tie ruined as it was quickly becoming too advantageous for the Alliance. (In fact this attack was proving to be the only thing Luke had done so far to weaken the Alliance. His past few months had been some of the most fruitful months in Alliance history, but of course that couldn't have been only Luke…)

Luke needed to get the Tie ruined, but he didn't need to be ruined along with it. The airspace around Yavin IV was difficult for even him to manage, and deliberately trying to get hit would most definitely kill him. Both sides were fighting erratically and trying to hit the other side's transports. Stormtroopers were quickly overtaking the base on the ground, and in the air Tie pilots outnumbered the Wings 4 to 1. It seemed like Luke's father had paid careful attention to Luke's notes and not underestimated the Alliance's resolve for a second. It was paying off too. Luke was pretty sure the only reason he wasn't getting shot down with all the others leaving the hanger was that no one was quite sure whose side he was on. (And none of them even knew that Luke wondered that sometimes as well.)

" _Luke."_

It had been months since Luke last heard that voice in his head, and he hardly recognized it. He did though, and a smile spread across his face even as a blast from a confused X-Wing missed him by an inch. _"Father? Is that you."_

 _"_ _I am here,"_ his father answered sounding definitively relieved. _"I am glad to know you are well. Thank you for your information, I sense a great victory today."_

Ha. He certainly didn't need to sense an Imperial victory. Luke saw it in the flames rising from the base, and he tried not to think about how many friends he'd just killed for the sake of family and a peaceful galaxy. _"I've done my duty. Soon we will be together again."_

 _"_ _I look forward to the day. Until then be well, and happy birthday."_

He was a couple days early of course, but Luke couldn't help but beam. His father had been thinking about how his birthday was coming up. His father had been thinking of him. As silly as it seemed to Luke that was the greatest gift. His father truly loved him to be thinking of something as silly as Luke's eighteenth birthday. _"May the Force be with you, Father."_

 _"_ _May the Force be with you."_

His father had just finished the familiar blessing when their connection cut off suddenly. Luke felt himself spinning frantically for a second before he managed to pull the ship under control. Someone, from which side Luke didn't know, had sent him into one giant tailspin. Without the Force's help Luke couldn't possibly have dogged all the other ships while trying to regain control. _I need to get out of here,_ Luke realized. _Where's R2 when you need him? I can't remember those damn hyperspace coordinates for the life of me._

 _"_ _(533,474,84)"_

 _Right!_ Luke realized quickly imputing the coordinates into his modified Tie's jury-rigged system. The whole ship shuttered beneath him, but it made the jump and Luke breathed a sigh of relief.

Flying through hyperspace in a one-man craft was not particularly pleasant, so Luke attempted to put himself into a meditative trance to pass the time. Each time he tried to sink into the Force, however, Luke was startled awake by the lingering darkness and the screaming cries of his fellow rebels.

 _"_ _So you consider them your peers, even though you are betraying them."_

As if Luke hadn't been able to relax before, after hearing ghost-Obi-Wan's voice meditation would have been impossible. Of course he would pick then of any moment to make contact for the first time in months. Of course he'd come to pick on Luke when his resolve was already weak.

 _"_ _The Emperor is not the only one who can take advantage of your weakness for those you love. You must listen to me Luke. You already know that you are not a true Sith, and you must not become one. The peaceful galaxy you so long for will never come to pass if you fall to the Dark Side. You must be better than your father."_

Luke tried to block out the voice, but he didn't need to. Obi-Wan had delivered his message and Luke had a long ride ahead of him in which to contemplate Obi-Wan's words.

Or so he had assumed. Luke had barely begun fuming over how Obi-Wan thought he knew everything because he was dead when he felt the sudden lurch that was the drop from hyperspace. _This isn't good. I'm way too early. My hyperdrive must have taken some damage when I was hit._

Well there was nothing Luke could do about that until he reached the ground, one way or another. Calling on the Force to shield him Luke braced for one of his rougher landings, and felt himself hurtling towards the jungle planet below. Luke had just enough control to even his angle of entry enough not to tear the ship to pieces, but he ended up crashing into a dozen trees and coming down with a plop in the swamp.

 _Well at least the water eased my landing. It's going to make it a lot harder to fix. I'm going to have to levitate it out before I can do anything. And I don't care what dad says about 'size mattering not,' it's much harder to lift a Tie than a rock._

Still Luke wasn't getting a choice, and so he climbed out of the ship and into the mud. Luckily his flight suit was completely insulated, so Luke couldn't feel the junk oozing around his legs, but, at the same time, he could. He tried to ignore the feeling as he scrambled onto the bank and attempted to focus on lifting his Tie out of the muck. At first Luke had little luck, and he quickly grew frustrated. He'd already been up for 26 hours when the attack on Yavin began, and he was kriffing tired. Not to mention hungry. He probably had some ration bars in the Tie, but he had to get it out of the mud first.

The frustration and hope of food was just what Luke needed, and he pulled the ship out of the water and onto land without blinking. The effort exhausted Luke even more, but once he was done the excitement of having completed his task filled him with a light he hadn't even realized was missing. He rushed into the ship to find his rations and conked his head on the top of the ship when an odd voice spoke, "Impressive, your skills are, but misguided, they are misguided. Hmmmmmm."

Luke almost dropped his ration bar in the dirt he was so surprised by the little green alien sanding before him. He was probably the size of a youngling, and as green as, well, Luke's lightsaber actually. Wrinkles covered his face and reminded him slightly of the Emperor. The comparison didn't seem to do his visitor justice, however. There was something undeniably light about the little green alien that countered the Emperor's darkness completely. No. They may have both been wrinkled but they certainly were nothing alike.

The little green man came moved closer to Luke, and struggled up on a tree stump so they were more the same height. He didn't look Luke in the eyes however. No, no he leaned forward to smell the ration bar before smacking it from Luke's hand and into the muck. "Hey! I'm hungry."

"Food that is not. Come, show you real food, I will. Herh herh herh," the man told Luke clambering down the rock with surprising grace and moving towards the woods. Luke stared at the insane creature for a second before deciding that any food had to be better than no food and following. Besides the little green guy didn't seem like a threat, and Luke always had his lightsaber if he was wrong.

The green-guy led Luke deeper into the swamp, and he felt a bit like complaining about the heat and bugs. He didn't though. Luke's father had convinced him years ago that whining was not the way to get what he wanted. Or well he'd tried to convince Luke. The teen could still be a bit whiny at times. "How much further?"

"Not far it is. Come, come!" Luke's companion answered as if he wasn't walking ridiculously slowly. (Then again his legs were short). Luke considered just turning back and hoping he had another ration bar, but his guide came to a quick stop. "In, in."

Luke wasn't even sure where he was supposed to go in at first, but he finally found where the vines parted and pushed into the little den. It was kind of cozy inside, if a bit too low for even Luke, but there was something stewing in a pot so Luke sat down anyways. "Who are you?"

"Unimportant am I. Why here are you, hmm?"

Luke had begun catching on to this little guy's lack of sanity, but he hadn't figured his host was stupid as well. "My hyperdrive took me to the wrong place! I need to fix it and go, which I was doing when you stole my food."

"Steal?" The little green guy looked properly insulted at the accusation. "Stole I did not. Saved from a terrible fate you were."

Okay so the ration bars weren't the best, but they were perfectly safe. Perhaps that was why Luke had a feeling his host wasn't speaking of food poisoning. "How did you find me anyways? You live pretty far from where I crashed."

Luke's host did not answer but instead let out a few noises Luke was sure a human could never replicate. He didn't press his guest further, however, because not only was he passed a bowl of something that looked like stew, but it was also rude to question senile old people. (Okay, so maybe it had more to do with Luke wanting to eat, but the second reason did exist.)

The stew was… well it was something. Obviously the swamp didn't have a lot of plants Luke was familiar with, or maybe his host's taste buds just worked differently, but it was edible at least. Luke suspected it could have been much worse was the green guy trying to annoy him. "Thank you for feeding me," Luke offered not pointing out that he had food before his host came along and tossed it. "But I need to get back to my ship."

"No!" When he had his little fits the green guy was actually really intimidating. "Sleep you need. Show you the path back I tomorrow will. Tomorrow. Yeesssssss."

Luke wasn't too keen on sleeping in the hut of a stranger but he really didn't know the way back to his Tie. Surely the Force would tell Luke if he was in danger. The Force seemed relaxed, perhaps even happy, with Luke's current lodging, so the teen relaxed a bit. And he was exhausted. "Fine, maybe you're right."

"Of course right am I," the being replied looking as if he was puffing out his chest. "Wise was I called once. Know things I do."

Hmm. Luke doubted that, but his eyes felt heavy the second he began to close them. For a minute Luke worried his food had been drugged, but he quickly realized he was just falling asleep from exhaustion.


	11. Chapter 11

On the count of three- one, two, three-HAPPY BIRTHDAY JUSTANNY! Thanks guys for joining in. Honestly she's an amazing reviewer and just all around epic. So wish her a happy birthday guys, and I hope she's blushing right about now.

Anyways, enjoy this chapter. I find this chapter hilarious, but my sense of humor is a bit messed up so...

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Chapter 11

Luke awoke the next morning to faint traces of light coming through the vines. He looked around for his host, but found nothing. Immediately he double checked that his lightsaber hadn't been stolen, but it was inside his jacket like always. Curious Luke began to crawl through the hut (because walking was far too difficult.) Some of the stew from the night before sat in the corner. Luke made his way over to it and dipped his pinky in to see how it tasted cold. It was actually a little better than it had been warm so Luke helped himself to a bowl. After all, his host had been the first one to steal food, sort of.

Stomach full and well rested Luke headed towards the door prepared to find the way back himself. He was surprised to find his host sitting cross-legged outside the hut seemingly talking to himself. (Luke was surprised to find his host still around, not talking to himself. His host was obviously nuts.)

"Strange, strange he is," the little green guy was muttering. "Unlike his parents, he is. Chance, there is, right, you are. Our last hope, this is. Yes."

The muttering stopped Luke in his tracks as he wondered if, somehow, the little guy was talking about him. That wouldn't make any sense though. The probability was infinitesimal of a crazy non-human on a random planet even knowing who Luke was, never mind knowing his parents. Yet what else could he be talking about?

 _He's crazy remember Luke? He could be talking about anyone. For all you know he thinks you're the king of whatever planet this is._

It was a fair argument from Luke's subconscious, so he let the questioning go instead focusing on the more important problem. "Excuse me, ah, sorry I don't mean to interrupt but I really need to go and fix my ship. There are people who are probably worrying about me."

The green guy looked up at Luke and did a sort of smile. "Time to return to your ship it is not. Come. Show you the correct path, will I."

That statement made absolutely no sense to Luke, but he was pretty good at going with the flow and therefore followed his host. Obviously the guy wasn't bad or he would have taken Luke's lightsaber. Whatever the little guy wanted it was probably best for Luke to just humor him.

Luke followed his guide deeper into the swamp. It felt like they'd been walking forever before his guide finally stopped and motioned to the cave ahead of them. "Inside your path you will find. Careful. Careful!"

Whatever else he was Luke was also an almost 18-year-old boy, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes at the ridiculousness of the situation he'd found himself in. Still he listened to the 'wise' guide and walked into the cave.

The second Luke got inside he felt the familiar presence of the Dark Side. He considered running out, but remembered that he was a Sith damn it and he needed to embrace this darkness. Carefully Luke reached out trying to situate himself in the Dark Side of the Force, but he found no sense of release. Frustrated Luke pushed further into the cave. In the center there seemed to be a path of dirt different from the rest and Luke knew that was where the darkness was resonating from. His father had told him about the kind of power that Sith graves could hold, and so Luke sat down on the spot to try meditating in the darkness. Perhaps once he truly felt the power of the Dark Side Luke would be better equipped to finish his mission quickly. It had already been a long few months and speaking with his father the day before made Luke miss home desperately.

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion," Luke began reciting tentatively. He'd never used the Sith code before, in fact he'd been forbidden from reciting it while studying the Light Side, but he knew the words. "Through passion, I gain strength." _Hopefully, the strength to fight my friends and finish my mission._ "Through strength, I gain power." _The power to keep people safe and my family together._ "Through power, I gain victory." _Victory to end this stupid war._ "Through victory, my chains are broken." _I'll free the slaves once and for all._ "The Force shall set me free." _Free to be with my family._ Upon completion of the Sith Code, Luke could feel the Dark Side milling about and gently closed his eyes to let it show him what he needed to do.

Luke stood in the Imperial throne room clad in billowing black robes. A hood covered his head but beneath them was the startling sight of Sith-yellow eyes. Behind him was the throne of the Emperor and attached to it a smaller throne. Dressed in crimson on the smaller throne sat Leah, a queen's crown ordaining her head. She looked slightly bored as her eyes scanned the room, but when they landed on Luke her eyes turned to sheer hatred. Luke seemed not to notice, or, if he did, he simply did not care that his long-time-friend and wife despised him.

On the other side of the throne sat a woman in ragged clothes with chains around her wrists. Blood littered the floor from where chaffing had cut open her skin, but the real horror was the sight of her face. It was Leia, and she looked as if her whole planet had just been destroyed before her eyes. Every bone protruded out while her eyes sunk in. Her eyes looked dead in their sockets. Not even pain or fear could be made out in their gaze, just death.

But of all the horrors in the room, one in particular struck fear into the hearts of visitors. Sitting above the throne were two shelves. One held a phrink lightsaber and the cloak of Darth Sidious, but the other, the other held a more familiar lightsaber to Luke, and the mask of his father besides it.

Everyone in the throne room turned as the doors opened, and in walked a member of the Emperor's guard. Where their uniforms had made them anonymous under Emperor Palpatine, under Emperor Skywalker they were more revealing. Rickon stood in the doorway looking at Luke with a loathing to match Leah's. Emperor Skywalker turned to his oldest friend and let out a insidious smile, "So, you truly have betrayed me, as my wife, my sister, even my father did before you."

Rickon did not seem surprised to have been discovered. He simply moved away from the door and let Wedge, Kes, Ahsoka and half a dozen other Rebels in. "This is all that is left of the once mighty Alliance?" Emperor Skywalker laughed. "How pathetic. And I suppose I will just have to kill you all as well."

Luke pulled himself out of the vision panting heavily. The words and scenes before him melded together in his mind as a vision of pure terror, and Luke ran as fast as he could from the darkness of the cave. When he finally reached the edge of the cage the terror of his vision didn't fade even if the specifics did. All that Luke remembered was that he was a monster, a monster that'd killed his own father and destroyed everyone around him.

The little green guy was sitting outside meditating, and he slowly opened his eyes to look at the breathless teen. "Disturbed are you?"

"What… what did you just do to me?" Luke stammered wondering why he'd been so quick to assume that his guide was harmless in addition to friendly. Clearly this was some sort of a trap… though how Luke wasn't quite so sure. "What was in that stew?"

The little green guy chortled again before using his stick to stand up. "My stew it was not. Your own destiny it was."

Okay, that sounded scarily lucid to Luke. He felt his hand move to his lightsaber defensively while clarifying, "My destiny?"

"Should along your path you continue," he answered his eyes clear and expectant. "Surrounds you, darkness does, but in you, in you it is not."

Luke bit his lip, but still didn't ignite the saber. Instead he anxiously rubbed the button while trying to figure out what his recklessness and naivety had gotten him into. It made no sense to Luke. How could this random hermit know who Luke was, as he obviously did, and moreso know the challenges he was facing? Actually how did the little green guy know the true purpose of the cave at all? Only those attuned to the Force would be able to detect and receive visions from the darkness. So that meant…

"You're Yoda," Luke realized his eyes wide. At this point he did pull out his lightsaber and levy it close to the alien's chest. "You're not crazy, you're a Jedi!"

"Crazy? Crazy?" Yoda repeated sitting back down completely unfazed by the deadly blade pointed at his chest. Even a great master like Yoda surely didn't have the ability to stop Luke should he decide to make a move. Surely. "Crazy we all are, as are we Jedi."

Luke was really glad he couldn't see his face in that moment, because he would have felt pretty stupid looking at the sullen scowl before him. "I am not a Jedi! I am a Sith apprentice pledged to learn the Dark Side from my master. You are my enemy."

"The truth your enemy is," Yoda told the teen poignantly, and Luke was really starting to get why his father and Yoda never seemed to get along in Ahsoka's stories. The 'wise' old master's accent was more than annoying, it was infuriating, and Luke suspected much of it was intentional. Yoda was trying to test his patience, test his openness to the Dark Side. And Luke did not like it. He stared at the former Grandmaster before shutting off his blade and stomping back towards his ship. Let Yoda rot on this planet with his stupid Dark Side vision cave. What did Luke care? He'd find his way back to his ship, fix it, and be gone. That was the end of it.

"Why do all the Jedi think they can just meddle in my life?" Luke muttered to himself a little while later as he tried to fix his hyperdrive. It was severely damaged, but hopefully it would hold together long enough for Luke to make a short jump to some place where he could get something less-helpful to the Alliance to return with. "They tried to keep my parents apart so I wouldn't even be born. They hid me from my father. They tried to turn me against him once I knew they truth. They've used my weaknesses to manipulate. They're no different from the Sith, just more arrogant. At least my father will admit he is not perfect. They don't even think it's possible for them to be wrong. What does Yoda know? That cave had no truth in it. None at all. It's ridiculous, Leia as my sister, Leah as my wife. Ha! As if that was possible. And I would never turn against father. I'm doing this so I can be with him. No. Lies. It's all lies."

Luke was so involved in fixing the ship and rambling on in a tirade that he didn't even notice the presence of ghost Obi-Wan for quite some time. When Luke finally did notice the dead Jedi he just scowled and hoped that ignoring him would make him go away.

It did not. "Luke. You know what Master Yoda said to be true or you would not be so upset."

"I'm upset because I didn't remember the rendezvous coordinates at all! That wasn't my subconscious it was you telling me how to get here! You planned this all along to confuse me!" Luke snapped at the ghost. Obi-Wan had been dead for years, years, and yet he still was trying to turn Luke against his father and his life. It needed to end. "You have no right, no right! This is my life! I am an adult. I know what I'm doing. Stop trying to convince me that my father is manipulating me! The only person who has ever tried to control me is you! You and your stupid Jedi friends! Well I'm done with it! I'm not a Jedi anymore, I'm a Sith and a Sith I will stay. I'm going to destroy the Alliance and return a hero to my master. And he is old, and he will die, and my father will be Emperor and everything will be good. And then someday I'll be Emperor and I'll be the best there ever was and fix everything. Don't you see? You keep trying to stop me but I'm the only one in a position to fix things. I won't be corrupted. I'm going to save the galaxy and you're trying to stop me, so which one of us is evil?"

Obi-Wan stared at Luke for a moment surprised by the teen's outburst. Luke had the one skill Anakin always needed- the ability to control his temper. To see Luke lose it like that, to realize that Luke was hurting so deeply, it made Obi-Wan wonder if Master Yoda's plan had been so wise after all. "I do not mean to control you Luke," Obi-Wan answered with the same patience he had needed to get through raising Anakin. "I simply wish to make you understand that you won't have a choice. Perhaps you would be a good Emperor, but you can't do that without being a Sith first, and the Sith are corruption. By the time you get to being Emperor you'll be filled with hatred, devoid of love, you'll be the monster you saw. None of the good things you want now will matter then, only your desire for power."

Luke turned away from the apparition tears stinging his eyes. Obi-Wan was wrong! Luke wouldn't be corrupted by the Dark Side. He was strong. He could do it. The Dark Side was not all bad. "My father cares about me, my father loves me. That's not going to change when he's Emperor."

"Your father's feelings for you have always surprised me," Obi-Wan admitted wishing on some level that he truly had a body. Perhaps then he'd be able to grab Luke and reassure him that there were others besides his father who cared for him. But Obi-Wan was dead and he could do little to comfort the boy. He simply needed to stop him. "But he is still willing to use you to gain power. He plans on having you help him kill Palpatine, and what then? If your father is willing to put power over you to gain the throne what will happen once he has it? How many cruelties will he force you to commit as Sidious has forced him?"

Luke shook his head pleading with Obi-Wan to understand. Tears licked his cheeks as he searched from some consolation in the damned universe. "It's not true. My father is better than Palpatine. He'll make things right. Once he's in charge there will be no slaves or oppression, just justice and peace."

"He cares for no one in this galaxy but you Luke," Obi-Wan stated firmly much to Luke's protests. "He will not care if he has to destroy whole planets just to achieve his goals. That is not justice or peace, that is tyranny, the same tyranny he fought against when he was your age. If he can change so much is it not possible that you will become what the cave showed you?"

Luke shook his head frantically, but slammed the ships inner workings in frustration. Much to his surprise the systems began to buzz and the hyperdrive was back online. He could get away from this blasted place; thank the Force. "I'm going to finish my duty," Luke to the ghost wiping his tears and climbing into the cockpit. "You had a chance to do things your way and you failed. Now it's my turn. Don't worry, I'm going to bring peace. I'm not going to fail as you did. That cave did not show my destiny. I won't let it."

"I only hope Luke that you can recognize the choice and that you do not only realize you've decided once it's too late."


	12. Chapter 12

Okay, wow, um. It's so weird doing the daily updates because it took me months to write the first 12 chapters and you're reading it in less than two weeks so it feels like it's just flying by. It's not bad, just odd, though if I don't get my act together and finish this fic over the weekend I could very well end up not having it done in time. Yup, I'm still not 100% done, so the time to make requests is now, because I'll see what I can do.

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Chapter 12

Luke worried that there would be no one left at the rendezvous point to tell him the location of the new base, but a shuttle lingered in the empty space and answered his hail. "Glad to see you alive Commander Skywalker. What happened to the Tie?"

"Unfortunately it was irreparable," Luke lied easily. "I crash landed and was lucky enough to find someone willing to trade a ship for parts."

"Too bad," the Rebel mused. "Anyways I'm transmitting the hyperspace coordinates of the new base to you. My orders are to remain here for only one more day, but hopefully there will be more stragglers like you."

Luke twinged at the words, and he found himself having to know. "How many people didn't get out?"

"About a third, but our new base got hit yesterday. No one has a clue how they found us a second time so quickly, but the losses were severe. Only about a third of those from Yavin have made it to the most recent base, and if we get hit again…"

Luke didn't want to think about the possibility, not when he already had so much blood on his hand. Yes it was to end the war, but knowing just how many people Luke's intel had gotten killed… those on Yavin was bad enough but to know they got hit a second time before even settling all because Luke had theorized about other possible bases. That was ruthless even for his father. Perhaps it would speed the end of the war, but Luke wasn't comfortable with it. Has he'd told Obi-Wan he wasn't going to let the war corrupt him.

"Let's just hope others made it out and haven't been able to make it back. I'd prefer to think they deserted rather than died."

The rebel on the other end seemed horrified by Luke's boldness. "I'd prefer to be dead than a traitor."

"You're not a traitor for wanting peace," Luke offered. The rebel on the other side, however, was either too angry or too confused to reply, so Luke just plugged in the new hyperspace coordinates and made his way to the new base.

It was raining when Luke arrived, and he couldn't help but smile a bit. Even in all his years on Coruscant Luke had never lost his love for rain. It was peaceful, relaxing, and completely separate from the life Luke had on Tatooine. It reminded him of days spent playing Holos with Rickon or working on models with his father. Rain meant home to Luke in the way the desert dryness never had.

"Incoming shuttle please state your identification number," an all-too-familiar voice called over the radio and Luke couldn't help but smirking.

"Kes, how come they've got you doing ship clearance? Did you fail at sanitation?"

"Luke, is that actually you?" His friend sounded as if ten years had been lifted from his shoulders. "Force we thought you were dead. Where have you been?"

Perhaps it was selfish, but Luke was glad to know Kes was alive. If Kes was alive chances were R2 and the other pathfinders had made it to the new base as well, maybe even Wedge and the rest of the Red Squadron too. Luke still had more time to make his friends see reason. He still had time to save them. "I'll tell you all about it once I land."

"Oh yeah, hurry in," Kes chuckled opening the flight-bay doors for Luke to come through. "And the story will have to wait. There is a major debriefing about our obvious security breach in five minutes and they asked me to represent the pathfinders but it would be much better if you did. Please Luke, I hate meetings."

Yes, yes Kes did. Luke didn't particularly like them either, something he got from his father, but he had just enough of his mother's political skills to be able to hold himself together through one. "No problem. Who needs their first shower in a week anyways?"

It didn't matter that Luke couldn't see Kes's face; he could imagine the grin on his old friend's face well enough.

The meeting room was pretty full when Luke got there, and he wondered if they had any idea that including so many people would lead to the traitor being included. Of course since none of them knew he was the traitor they probably didn't but…

"Commander Naberrie?" Luke turned to see a very surprised Mon Mothma standing in front of him. Apparently one of the invasion's primary goals, her death, hadn't been completed; Luke couldn't help but be pleased. "It's very good to see you alive. I hadn't realized you were back."

Luke smiled at the woman, but suddenly became aware of a deep pit in his chest. He had a bad feeling about this meeting. "I just got back myself. I'm sorry to say that I lost the Tie."

She definitely seemed disappointed to lose the tactical advantage, but nodded firmly. "You can steal another ship. We can't steal another Jedi. Oh Admiral Akbar!" She called over to a Mon Calamari a few feet over. "I'd like to introduce you to Commander Naberrie. I'm sure you've read my reports on him."

"I find his abilities to recognize traps unforgettable," the Admiral greeted as Luke offered a nod of respect. "You should introduce him to the Princess before we begin."

Luke's blood ran cold. His heart pounded slowly but with an intensity to knock someone over. No. No. "Princess… Princess Organa?"

"No need to be nervous," Mothma teased completely unaware of why Luke was truly terrified. "She's no older then you. I think I see her over there I'll be right back."

Luke gave a curt nod, but as soon as she turned he skittered across the room. He'd have to pretend he suddenly fell ill. It wouldn't look too good but anything was better than what would happen if Luke didn't get out of there. Leia… Leia had the potential to destroy the whole galaxy should she see Luke. He could not allow that to happen.

"Luke!" Wedge greeted as Luke almost made it through the door. A grin lined the Red Commander's face, but Luke did not have time for warm greeting. He needed to get out of there because Mothma and Leia were heading his way. "It's good to see you. Dameron was getting worried."

"Yeah look, I just got back and am suddenly not feeling up to this so just give Mothma my apologies okay?"

Luke tried to push past his friend, but he felt Wedge's hand tighten around his arm. "Yeah you don't look so great. I'll help you find your quarters R2 is already there waiting for you. Ah here's Mothma herself you can let know."

"Princess Organa I think you've met Commander Antilles? And this is Commander Naberrie," Mothma greeted ruining any chance of Luke getting away. His heart stopped. Any second they would wonder why he wasn't turning around to be honored with meeting more of Alliance High Command. Any second Leia would uncover his ruse. Any second it would all be over and there was no kriffing thing Luke could do.

He'd failed. He'd failed his master, his father, his empire. Luke was a failure, but he wasn't about to let the Alliance just kill him. No, no he wasn't going to go quietly. If he could get away he could make it back to his father. His father would know what to do. He had to.

Luke spun on his heels simultaneously pulling Leia against him and igniting his lightsaber at her neck. A cry came out from someone in the room, but the tension was palpable. No one knew what was happening, not until Leia looked past the blade threatening her life and into the metallic consol in the middle of the room. Luke's face reflected out, shrouded in shadows cast by his saber. He looked downright malevolent, but, of course, that was how Leia had seen him for years.

"Commander Naberrie what are you doing?" Mothma breathlessly interrupted, but she made no move. Everyone had seen Luke in action with his blade and they did not want to test him.

"Luke," Leia hissed the venom in her voice far more terrifying than a lightsaber could ever be. "So that's how Vader found the base on Yavin. You are truly despicable."

"I hold your life in my hands," Luke hissed in her ears, but he found himself unable to sound truly threatening. This was the kind of thing his father did all the time, yet Luke could barely stomach it. He didn't want to hurt Leia. What else was he supposed to do though? All the rebels who didn't know Luke had the sense to pull their blasters, and the only reason they didn't shoot was Luke's hostage.

"What is going on? I order you to release her at once!" Mothma cried sounding far more emotional than Luke had ever seen her. It made sense of course. She'd mentioned before that Leia was like a daughter to her. Seeing Anakin Skywalker's son threaten her… "Everyone lower your blasters."

Luke felt Leia's heart pounding against him. She was terrified, but Luke was even more so. He didn't have to devote any energy to fury as Leia was. "Don't! Just shoot him. He's far more of a threat than my life is worth. He's Darth Vader's son!"  
At the revelation Luke felt a pulsing in the Force. It was as if everyone around him let out a sudden cry of horror designed to knock Luke off his feet. He practically stumbled, almost taking Leia's head off in the process, but when he regained his senses no one else seemed to notice the Force's cry. No, incorrect, Leia noticed it. She'd stumbled the same time Luke did; otherwise her head would have come off.

Mothma looked between the two teens with a mix of fury and determination. All of her former emotion was suddenly locked away. "Leia, are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Leia replied her huff pushing against Luke's chest in an odd sensation. "He's been spying on the Senate for the Emperor for years."

Now it was Luke's turn to huff. In an odd way the panic within Luke was dissipating as he listened to Leia speak. It was so… familiar. He'd spent many hours listening to her fight for what she believed in back in the Senate. This wasn't much different. "I was not spying your highness and you know it. I was there taking lessons from my cousin." At this Luke looked over at Mothma, and he couldn't quite meet the betrayal in her eyes. "I was not lying about my parents' identities. Pooja Naberrie is truly my cousin. Padme is truly my mother and Anakin is my father. He just… he just doesn't go by Anakin anymore. That doesn't mean he's any different from the General you knew. He just wants what is best for the galaxy. We both do."

"And he's brainwashed you into thinking killing is how you achieve that?" There was a certain sadness in Mothma's voice that surprised everyone. She didn't seem to hate Luke the way everyone else around him did. No, no she was sad.

Why would she assume Luke liked killing? He hated it, but the rebels gave them no choice. They were the ones fighting the lawful government! "You tell me? I was barely fifteen the first time a Rebel assassin tried to kill me and took my hand. The first person I ever killed was attacking a weaponless child and you sent them!"

No recognition flared in Mothma's eyes, but even if she hadn't known of the specific attempt she did not seem to particularly regret it. No. Of course she wouldn't. Any chance to take out Darth Vader was worth it, collateral be damned.

"Stop this ridiculous conversation!" Ackbar yelled from where he was safely tucked out of Luke's path. "He's a traitor and a spy! Blast him!"

No one made a move to, however, not even before Mothma's hand went up. "Make no move to threaten the princess. Luke, let her go and we can discuss this. If you hid the truth because you were afraid, if you're hiding from your father, we can work something out."

Luke laughed and sounded completely hysterical doing it. In fact there were hot tears streaming down his face and his normally steady body shook slightly. Was she kidding? "Hiding from my father? He's the only one left in the galaxy who won't want me dead now! None of you will ever trust me, not knowing what you do. The Emperor will put a price on my head large enough to bankrupt the galaxy for a year! I don't want to hurt anyone. I just… I need to get out of here. Let me go and no one will get hurt I swear it."

Mothma moved dangerously close to the hysterical Sith teenager, but somehow she knew there was no true threat. "Turn off your blade and let Leia go. You're not getting out of here unless you kill everyone in this base, and I don't think that's something you want to do."

No, no it really wasn't. Too many people had already died, and Luke was useless to the galaxy now. Anyone he killed would be to save himself, not the galaxy. If he fought his way out he'd be nothing more than the monster he saw on Degobah.

Luke didn't want to be that monster. He didn't want to be any of this. He just wanted to go home, and now he probably never would. Shaking hysterically, Luke shut off his saber before accidentally hurting Leia. His hand unclenched letting the weapon fall to the ground, and Luke did much the same. It was all too much. He couldn't do this anymore. He just wanted to go home. Damn it he was not ready for this. He was barely out of school. He was barely more than a stupid kid. He couldn't do this anymore. The tears he'd been holding back for months, years really, came bounding forward. Luke didn't want to be a Sith. Hell. Luke didn't want to be an adult. He wanted to be in the room Nila painted for him all those years ago being held by his father. He wanted to be doing gymnastics and laughing with Rickon. He wanted everything to be okay for once in his life.

But there were still blasters and betrayed looks all around him, and Luke knew that he was never, ever, going to get the one thing he wanted.

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AN: If anyone thinks Luke's breakdown in this chapter isn't realistic... well obviously you've never been 18 because I know I literally do this all the time. Just me then? Well, I have been accused of projecting on Luke before so...


	13. Chapter 13

So the twins are together. Will Leia's hatred be too much for them? Who knows (well I do) and soon enough you shall too. Enjoy!

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Chapter 13

They left Luke alone for some time in a solitary cell. He could sense the presence of nervous guards outside the hallway, but no one was in sight. Good. Luke didn't want to see the hurt and betrayal in another person's eyes. He needed to think. He needed to figure out how to get back to his father now that he had failed, and he needed to do it without hurting anyone. Luke didn't want any more blood on his hands.

"They should have put binders on your hands."

Luke was surprised to find Leia had managed to get through the first set of doors before he noticed her. She stood outside his cell looking furious and determined, a Holorecorder in her hand. Despite the part she played in this little disaster Luke couldn't bring himself to blame her. She was correct after all; he was a spy. She was just trying to protect her people, much as Luke was his. They were just unfortunate enough to exist in a galaxy where 'their people' were enemies. Somehow Leia didn't feel like Luke's enemy, however. No Luke couldn't help but feel pulled to her even now.

He gestured with his head towards the seat where a pair of binders sat haphazardly. "I had binders on when we first met you know. I got them off them. If I had hair like yours I wouldn't even need the Force; I'd just use a pin."

Leia didn't seem to think that was a complement, but of course she wouldn't have considered it sincere even if she had. Instead she just set up the Holorecorder in silence only speaking once it blinked green. "Your testimonial is being recorded for the sake of official Alliance proceedings. A copy of it may be sent to contacts within the Empire should I convict you of espionage and determine you a prisoner of war. Do you understand?"

Of course Luke understood, and he suddenly was scared of Leia. She was threatening to send this video to Luke's father, show the great Darth Vader how badly his son had failed. It made Luke feel pathetic. But what could he do? Oh he could easily use the Force to break out, grab Leia, maybe even escape with his life, but what then? He didn't have a place anywhere. Besides, if he'd been willing to hurt Leia or anyone for that matter he wouldn't have broken down and been captured in the first place. "Yes I understand."

"State your name and the identity of your parents."

"My name is Luke Skywalker, son of Padme Naberrie, sometimes known as Padme Amidala, and Anakin Skywalker." Leia's dark eyes pinched in frustration, so Luke continued before he antagonized him anymore. "Sometimes known as Darth Vader."

Leia let out a little smirk of triumph, and it suddenly crossed Luke's mind that the base probably had reversed day-night cycle and that it was probably really a new day standard time. And if it was a new day… "Happy birthday."

"Wha… what?" Leia stammered looking both shocked and terrified by Luke's words. He didn't really blame her. He'd have been equally as surprised had she offered the words to him. "How do you know that it's my birthday?"

Luke smiled at the way her nose squished up in disgust whenever she looked at him. It seemed sometimes like she put too much effort into hating him. Surely she only had to try to hate those she naturally liked. "I remember having more than once used my own birthday as an excuse for why I would not be attending the Princess Organa's."

Leia's nose continued to pinch, but she let the subject drop. "Very well. You reported to Yavin IV to enlist in the Alliance with Kes Dameron as your sponsor, is that correct?"

"Yes but…"

"According to his report Kes has known you since you were ten years old. Is that correct?"

"Yes but…"

"So Kes Dameron was aware that he was sponsoring the son of Darth Vader to join the Alliance?"

How could she even think that? "Kriff no!" Luke objected moving closer towards the bars, and he only stopped when Leia moved back in fear. "Tell me you don't have Kes locked up too? He had no idea I swear it on the Force. We met when I was in an Imperial Juvenile Detention Center. He had no idea who my father was. He didn't know until you announced it to the whole Alliance."

"Why were you in a Juvenile Center? Did you anger your father?" Leia's words bit, but Luke did his best to forgive her. There was no way she could know after all. She hadn't listened to Luke once in the years he'd tried to explain.

She finally had to listen, however, because the whole thing had to be on tape. "My mother died giving birth to me two days after the Empire's formation. The Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was with her, having left my father to burn alive on the planet Mustafar after a duel. When she died Kenobi sent me to Tatooine where I was raised for a decade by my aunt and uncle. I didn't know my father was still alive until I found myself arrested at an Alliance rally. I was charged with being a member of the Rebel Alliance and sent to a Coruscanti Juvenile Center where I met Kes who had been convicted of the same thing. We bonded over our shared hatred of the Empire and Darth Vader, who I then believed had killed my father. Kes eventually turned eighteen and left. A little while later my father and I met. The next time I saw Kes I was too busy saving him and his squadron's lives to tell him what I had discovered."

Leia didn't seem to believe him, but something about her presence told Luke that Kes would be fine. Hopefully. Luke wasn't sure he could forgive himself if Kes got hurt for being stupid enough to trust Luke.

"Why did you come to the Alliance?"

It was the moment of truth and they both knew it. One way or another Luke wasn't going to get released. No matter what Mothma had said no one would ever believe Luke was hiding from his father among the Rebels. At best they'd just keep him locked up. At worse… at worse they'd torture him for information. They probably wouldn't kill him, he was a valuable hostage, but they only needed him alive.

It would be much the same if Luke told the truth, simply without the weight on his heart. So the truth was what the teen decided on. "The day after I last saw you I was summoned by the Emperor. He declared that I was ready to begin my training as a Sith and ordered me to infiltrate the Alliance and bring it down from the inside. I confess to espionage and admit responsibility for all who died on Yavin IV. I truly regret their deaths, as do I regret the deaths of all who fight this galaxy's rightful government."

Leia seemed shocked, truly shocked, that Luke would so easily confess. Still she had what she needed and without another word packed up and prepared to leave. Luke couldn't let her go without knowing what she intended to do with the tape, however. "What happens to me next?"

"I show your confession to Alliance High Command and a decision is made about your guilt and punishment. Considering you've confessed to the death of hundreds it will probably not be a long deliberation." There was a softness, a kindness, in Leia's voice that surprised Luke. It was almost as if she was shocked by Luke's honesty and sincerity. She'd probably expected him to be haughty, arrogant, perhaps even hostile. She'd never expected him to be penitential and to look… well to look so incredibly young.

But it was that youth, of course, that saved him. A short while later Mon Mothma appeared, food tray in hand. It was basic rations, but Luke, who'd been anxiously awaiting any sort of closure, found it to be the greatest sign of hope. The Alliance did not have food to spare on a traitor marked for death.

The Alliance leader did not look Luke straight in the eye, and the teen felt a wave of guilt. She'd trusted him out of respect for her father. Now she knew that trust was misplaced and that the great Jedi she once knew was actually her vowed enemy. It had to be hard. "Alliance law recognizes the galactic age of majority as eighteen," she finally stated. "Due to the fact that all the crimes of which you are accused were committed before the date of your eighteenth birthday there is no legal standing on which to charge you and you are acquitted." She finally looked up at Luke. "Dameron once recalled to me the story of how he expected his release from Imperial custody to be nothing but a front up until the moment the binders were unclipped. The clemency the Empire has shown for Alliance members is now being returned to you."

Luke couldn't believe his ears. Not only had the charges of murder and espionage been dropped, but they were dropped because even Mothma had to admit the Empire was doing something right? The galaxy had to be ending.

"With that being said you are still the son of our most dangerous enemy and a self-proclaimed Sith apprentice," the woman continued and Luke noticed some visual discomfort in the tightness of her shoulders. She didn't like the call the rest of High Command had made. No if Luke had to guess she probably advocated for them to abandon their current base and leave Luke behind to be found by the next Imperial ship that passed by. "You will remain in Alliance custody and be given proper and secure quarters. You will not be permitted to leave your quarters under any circumstances without the unanimous approval of High Command. You will be forbidden from sending any correspondence due to security risks. Beyond that you will be treated as a guest and any information you wish to share will be shared willingly. The Alliance does not torture prisoners or punish someone for the actions of their family. Perhaps if you ever make it back to your father you will remember that and see the truth of what you've been raised to."

Yeah Luke had to admit he was surprised. Mothma had basically just said he'd be treated with civility and just encouraged by guilt to give up Imperial info. Of course Mothma only thought she was being kind. Luke wasn't naïve enough to think that, had roles been reversed, Leia would have been spared torture and execution at his father's hands. Still the message of Luke's defeat that would soon arrive in Lord Vader's hand would be a far more crippling blow than any Alliance member's death could possibly be.

"I bet Leia isn't too happy with this arrangement," Luke finally scoffed upon realizing that Mothma was waiting for some sort of reaction out of the teen.

The Alliance leader seemed surprised, however, by Luke's words and offered him a pointed look and a curt response, "Princess Organa was, in fact, the one who pointed out that you were underage up until this very morning. She voiced the opinion that had you meant us any real harm you would have killed her without remorse and fought your way out of the base, and we would have been in no position to stop you. So do not again make an assumption about how the Princess feels towards you, for you will undoubtedly be surprised. In fact be grateful. You probably owe her your life. Even I was not prepared to speak for you until she did first."


	14. Chapter 14

If I wasn't already panicking about not finishing this fic in time I'd give you too updates today I'm in such a good mood. Alas, I am scared I won't finish, so I won't, but I hope you're all having as lovely a day as I am. ENJOY!

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Chapter 14

Luke was led to a new room, one that appeared to be nothing more than standard quarters. The door control panel on the inside had been crudely blasted and the wires cut, but beyond that everything appeared to be perfectly normal. It was odd for Luke, but he accepted without complaint. Why should he complain that they were being overly friendly with him, even if it was in the hope that Luke should return their generosity with information.

And they surely would expect information from him. Perhaps they wouldn't torture him, not physically, but the mental torture of their kindness could be equally as effective. Luke had been raised by Darth Vader, however, and his father had discussed such tactics before. Luke would not be swayed. He was not going to provide any more information that could get someone killed. Not anymore.

Besides they were torturing Luke in another far more effective way. He'd only been in his new quarters for a few hours before becoming unquestionably bored. His only option was meditation, and the teen was half convinced Yoda's questionable-sanity was rooted in too many years of meditation. Besides, if Luke was being honest, he wasn't quite sure which side of the Force to meditate in anymore.

So he more just sat on the floor pretending like he was meditating up until the point the door opened once more. Luke expected to see some guard with a food tray and nothing else, but instead he discovered Leia was the one with his meal. She even had a few datapads in her hands that Luke suspected were filled with Alliance propaganda. Apparently they were actually going to try and convert Darth Vader's son. "I figured you were probably bored," Leia said awkwardly placing her gifts on the table. "They're Old Republic novels, the kind I grew up reading in secret. The Emperor banned any book that presented the Jedi in a positive light, but my father still had the books from his youth."

The mention of Leia's father reminded Luke of just who'd killed him, and the teen felt a twinge of guilt. Sure it hadn't been exactly his fault that Bail Organa died, but wasn't supporting his father supporting the deaths like that? But then again Bail Organa was a kidnapper and would have faced the death penalty anyways, so wasn't that the kind of death Luke should support? It all was very confusing, and Luke did not like the fact that for the first time in years he'd have the time to inevitably think about the answers to questions like that.

"Thank you," Luke told her offering the best smile he could. Leia was trying for the first time since she'd discovered the truth, and Luke could thank the Force for little miracles. "For these and for pointing out I was underage."

The muscles in Leia's shoulders tensed, and Luke realized she hadn't expected him to ever know it was her who'd brought it up. "The Alliance High Command values justice and law," she curtly responded clearly deciding against taking a seat and instead heading back towards the door. "Good day Luke."

"Good day Leia," Luke responded with a nod. Okay so he'd botched his second talk with Leia, but something had propelled her to come and have that second talk. She felt some of what Luke did too, and he just needed to keep pushing until she admitted it.

Once Leia left Luke found himself savoring the tasteless rations before settling back down to 'meditation'. When even he couldn't pretend anymore the teen rose to pace around his room. He had been grounded a few times before, even once confined to his quarters on the Exactor for a solid week, but this was going to be different. Luke was restless, and he needed something to do. Unfortunately the only thing available for him to do was read Leia's propaganda.

Luke had never been a reader. Leah read voraciously and Luke enjoyed listening to her talk about books, but the actual process of reading them was a struggle. As little as he liked to admit it, Luke's education on Tatooine had been severely lacking. By the time Luke moved to Coruscant everyone just assumed he could read properly and never bothered to teach him. Of course he could get through a work for school with a little help from the HoloNet, but numbers had always come much easier to him than words. It wasn't so much that Luke couldn't read as he couldn't comprehend long works. Maybe it had nothing to do with Tatooine and simply came down to Luke's attention span. He didn't know, but he knew that he hadn't picked up a novel willingly since he found an old one about his mother's days as queen.

Still the circumstances Luke now found himself in were nothing if not extenuating. There could not possibly be any disadvantage to at least trying to read the books. It might even be amusing for the teen to see how others saw the Jedi. Plus Luke was really, really, really bored, so he grabbed one of the HoloNovel's at random and began making his way through it.

It was certainly amusing. The story was began hundreds of years in the past, but there was a green Jedi master described that Luke suspected had to be Yoda. Apparently whatever species the old Jedi Master belonged to lived longer than humans. The main character of the novel was a Jedi named Raven who was sent to the Unknown Regions of space and accidentally found himself transported to some planet in a different galaxy called earth. As if the fictional planet wasn't odd enough (the planet only had one sentient species and didn't even have proper space travel) there was no Force on Earth. Luke couldn't even comprehend the idea, but he found it amusing to read about.

Luke was engrossed in the story for quite a few hours before his door opened again. He didn't pay much attention to the visitor, assuming it was only some guard, until he heard a weak voice speak, "What's the book about?"

Kes stood in the doorway looking pale and fragile. Luke's stomach revolted at the sheer thought of what he'd done to his friend, and he could barely look Kes in the eyes. Sure he'd never wanted Kes to get hurt, but he had. He had because he was kind enough to befriend a lonely ten-year-old boy who planned on one day killing Darth Vader.

"A Jedi lost on a planet without the Force," Luke answered quietly putting the book down and standing to meet Kes. As Luke approached, however, Kes took a step back. The little sign of fear and anger crushed Luke. He hadn't meant for any of this to happen. "Kes. I'm so, so sorry I never thought…"

"I told you I was only kidding when I said they'd punish me if you messed up," Kes interrupted his voice far lighter than the expression on his face. Kes was trying to seem okay, but he wasn't. He wasn't, and all because of Luke. "They questioned me and decided I couldn't have known. And I didn't. I didn't kriffing know Luke! You should have told me! I wouldn't have cared! I could have helped you."

As Kes's normally cool temper bubbled over Luke found himself trying to hold back his own emotions. He didn't want to start crying again damn it. He was far too old for that. Kes deserved better than for Luke to make him feel guiltier. "I didn't know. I swear when we were kids I didn't know and then… then you were on Coruscant and how could I explain it? You had just blown up a Tie! You were with a squadron of Rebels! I couldn't explain it! And then by the time I found you on Yavin IV it was too late. I had to end this war Kes! Don't you get it? I'm so sick of the fighting and the death. What are you even fighting for, democracy? Half the people are never going to happy in a democracy! There's no good way to make decisions. At least with the Empire decisions get made! I don't even care if we have an Empire or a Republic though! I have never cared about politics! I just want the fighting to be over. I just want things to get done but they can't because all the money of the galaxy is tied up in this stupid war!"

Kes didn't seem to know how to respond to Luke's words, but he finally clenched his jaw and spoke, "Your dad's got you completely brainwashed, you know that right? The Alliance stops fighting, the Empire wins. What then? Do you think everyone in the galaxy will just be okay with every decision made and that there will be no problems? There are always going to be problems in every government! The Republic wasn't perfect, that's for sure. Every decision that helps one person inconveniences another. But people need to be allowed to point out the problems so someone can try to fix them! That's why Republics are better! Whenever someone points out what the Empire does wrong the violence starts, that's why you've never seen peace! At least with a Republic if someone has a complaint they go about it peacefully. And maybe less gets done, but until people can express themselves without violence this war you want so desperately to end never will!"

Luke opened his mouth to yell back, but found he had nothing to say. Kes was right. The reason there was so much violence was because no one could speak their mind. Luke had had the same thought before. "Kes. I'm the heir to the throne," Luke confessed his voice soft and creaking. Tears pricked at his eyes as Luke tried desperately to make his friend see. "It's not going to be like this for long. Don't you trust me to let people point out problems without fearing violence? I don't need supreme power! I'll reinstate the Senate and give the people back their voice. All that will matter is that I'll have the power to step in and force a decision when none is being made. It will be better."

Kes shook his head, but stepped closer to grab the younger boy's shoulder and give it a squeeze. "But what are you going to do when they made a decision you just can't reconcile yourself with? You're not very good at just accepting orders when you think you know better. And maybe you even will know better, but will you take away the choice from people? And once you do it once where does it end?"

"I won't. I'll people decide and I'll just show them what the right answer is. I'm not a monster! I can do it."

"Maybe you can," Kes told Luke his dark eyes boring into Luke in a way that made the younger boy very uncomfortable. "But you're not the Emperor yet. You're not even next in line. Tell me honestly that your father is nothing like I think he is. Tell me honestly that he is exactly like you."

"There's good in him!"

"But is there evil too? I don't think you'll lie to me Luke. I don't think you ever have. You avoided the truth, sure, but you've never lied. So tell me Luke, has your father ever hurt you when you said something he disagreed with? Because if he has, if even once he raised his hand to you or hurt you, his son, then he can never be trusted not to do the same with the galaxy every time it disagrees with him. Maybe I'm wrong about him. Maybe everything he's done has been the Emperor's orders. So tell me, honestly, has he ever hurt you when you've done or said something he disagreed with?"

Luke's immediate reaction was to go on the defensive. Of course he wasn't abused! Of course his father didn't hurt him when they disagreed. But that wasn't what Kes was asking. Kes wanted to know if Vader had the ability within him to hurt his son, because if he did, if he did then he had the ability within him to hurt the whole galaxy.

And as little as Luke wanted to admit it his father did have that ability, and he'd known it for years. "It was only once. He's not a bad person."

Kes nodded, his dark eyes warm and kind. He looked at Luke much the same way he had the day they first met- pity mixed with a stern admiration. "Maybe he isn't Luke, you'd know better than me, but an Emperor of the known galaxy has to be more than 'not bad'. He has to be exceptionally good. I'd trust you as Emperor Luke, I really would, but I don't trust your father. I wouldn't trust myself either for what it's worth."

"Why can't you just hate me? I could have gotten you killed if they thought you'd known!"

"You're right, but I can't hate you for that. I'm your friend Luke, and I always will be. I know right now it would be a lot easier if I just hated you because then you wouldn't have to listen to me, but I don't. I'm going to help you through this, okay kid? Soon enough you'll see."

The problem was that Luke already was seeing, and he didn't want to. He'd had more than one misgiving himself about the Empire and for Kes to speak with such pointed logic… it hurt. It really, really hurt. It would hurt far less if Kes had just come to scream at Luke. Hatred Luke could ignore; he deserved it. Luke could not, however, ignore logic despite every bone in his body telling him to. "Please. Just leave."

Ked held on to Luke's quivering shoulders for a second more, but nodded. "I'll be back, okay? Things are going to be rough for a while, but they'll get better. I'll help you through it."

Luke looked down at the floor, and he sensed the pain tearing through Kes as he left. Kes truly believed in Luke, and he probably felt a little to blame for the current situation. It wasn't really his fault that Luke's destiny ran along this path, but he should have been able to tell. Maybe then he could have done something to help before it got this bad.

But it was too late now. Luke's father had been teaching him the way the world worked for seven years, and that loyalty wasn't going to change overnight. It would take time. Luke would come around though. Luke wasn't just smart; he was good. Luke would come around, and then he could be a new hope for the galaxy. All they needed was to give it a little time.


	15. Chapter 15

Here's today's update. Enjoy!

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Chapter 15

Luke couldn't go back to his reading after Kes left, and decided that the blissful abyss of sleep sounded really good. His sleep was anything but blissful however. As he dreamed, images of his father cutting down Wedge, Kes, Mothma and Leia danced through his head. Each time one of them received a deadly blow they looked straight towards Luke begging for his help and blaming him for their death. Each time Luke knew they were right; he was to blame.

In between the horrific scenes of his friends' deaths the vision Luke saw on Degobah replayed. The dream moved past his vision though, and Luke watched himself slaughter them all. Throughout the massacre Kes pleaded with Luke to see reason and stop, but when Luke ran his red saber through Kes's neck there was no friendship or pity left in the dead eyes. Kes's pleas came from desperation, not any true belief in Luke's goodness. And how could Kes believe in Luke's goodness after he'd slaughtered then all so horribly? He truly was a monster, and the look of indifference on his face as he called guards to dispose of the bodies was the worst bit of it all.

When Luke finally pulled himself from his vision he was sweaty and shaking. He wanted to tell himself that they were just nightmares, but they seemed like so much more. The images didn't seem to want to leave Luke's head, and when he got in the shower he wondered if the water could wash away ghosts the way it did dirt.

It could not, and Luke still felt as if he'd been run over by a Bantha when he came out of the fresher. He tried to clear his mind by getting sucked back into Leia's book, but nothing seemed to work. Finally Luke decided that giving meditation a chance couldn't possibly make things worse, and he, after a moment's contemplation, began reciting the familiar Jedi code to himself.

The terror and the darkness began to fade almost immediately, and Luke had stopped shaking by the time Obi-Wan's ghostly figure appeared before him. The dead Jedi didn't say anything at first, but Luke wasn't surprised by his appearance. In fact Luke was just surprised that Obi-Wan hadn't come to manipulate his weakness before.

"You were reciting the Jedi code," Obi-Wan finally began a smug smile stuck on his face. "You have accepted that the Dark Side is not your path."

Luke felt like pouting whenever he spoke with the meddlesome Jedi, but he managed to keep his countenance clear. Luke was sick and tired of being an emotional wreck. He could use with the detached peace of the Jedi for a while. "My Sith master gave me a mission and I failed it. I do not have the ability to be a Sith."

"Everyone has the capacity for Darkness Luke, even you. Should you choose to follow that path you will succeed in being one of the darkest Sith of all, but you have seen the price. The Dark Side forces a person to destroy everything they hold dear. You do not want to be a Sith, and that is very good."

Luke did pout at this point, but he let out a shuttering breath and agreed. "Fine, yeah I don't want to be a Sith. I don't like the way the Dark Side makes me feel and I know my father loses control if he uses it to much. But I don't know what to do. My father will never believe me if I tell him he needs to turn back to the Light Side before he can be Emperor, and Palpatine still needs to die for that to happen!"

"I am just a ghost Luke," Obi-Wan admitted with a startling sadness in his voice. "I have staved my inclusion into the Force so I could guide you, but I do not have all the answers. All I know is that you must do what is right even if that means fighting your father."

Luke jumped to his feet infuriated just by the idea. "I'm not going to fight my father! He's not the problem, the Dark Side is! I'm going to save him. I'm going to show him the way back."

"No one has ever come back from the Dark Side and lived Luke," Obi-Wan admitted, but Luke already knew that much. He'd spent years reading old Jedi files and they all said the same thing. There had to be exceptions however. Luke did not believe it could possibly be that way. Why if the two sides of the Force were equal was it so easy to turn from Light to Dark but not the other way around? And surely the Dark Side couldn't be stronger because then… well then there was no hope at all.

"My father will be the first then," Luke stubbornly declared. "As you said- you're dead. You don't know everything and you don't have to live in this world. If you ever cared about my father you'll believe it's possible and help me, but if you won't go. Go and don't ever come back. I don't want you telling me it's impossible and my only option is to kill my father then you can leave and never come back. I'm not going to fight my father. I will find a way."

Obi-Wan's wrinkled brows creased, but he nodded. "I do hope you are correct Luke, but I fear what will happen to the galaxy if you are wrong. This risk is why we separated you from your father in the first place. If you hadn't become attached it would be far easier for you to do what must be done."

"Yeah, I could have killed my father if I didn't know, you're right," Luke bit back angry that Obi-Wan truly believed his logic to be good and sound. "But I do know and that isn't going to change. Now go, please. I need time to figure out how I'm going to save my father, and you're not going to be any help in doing so."

"May the Force be with you Luke, for all our sakes."

Leia came to visit Luke again later that day, and they spoke for a short time about books without fighting. When she finally left it was because they'd been speaking for an hour and she had duties to attend to. Luke couldn't help but grin at the progress he was making, especially when she came back the next day, and the next.

In fact Leia came every day during Luke's first week as the Alliance's 'guest'. They both tried to avoid mentioning their family and politics, which of course left them little to talk about, but it had stopped being awkward at least. In fact it was the highlight of Luke's (admittedly boring) days. Leia seemed to enjoy them too, she had to be to keep coming back, and Luke was glad to know he was getting somewhere with her. He certainly wasn't getting anywhere with his plan to turn his father back to the Light so that he could be an exceptionally good person worthy of ruling an Empire.

Kes came often as well, but he found himself off-base often on missions. Occasionally he'd come in at random hours of the night just to check up on Luke, but he refused to tell Luke what kind of missions the Pathfinders were getting these days. He did admit, however, that he'd met someone named Shara Bey, and Luke enjoyed watched the way the Force danced around him whenever he said her name. It was a beautiful thing to watch, and Luke decided that even if he was a Jedi he was never going to accept the no attachments rule. Love was the lightest motive of all.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt," Leia said entering the cell where Kes and Luke were playing a game of sabacc. "But I need to speak with Luke for a moment."

There was a grave tenseness in her voice that rooted a pit of worry in Luke's stomach. Something was wrong. Something was seriously, seriously wrong. Had High Command changed their minds? Were they going to kill Luke? Or worse had something happened? Had something happened to Luke's father?

"Have him," Kes prompted forcing a little laugh into the tense situation. "I think he was about to steal all my money anyways. Since I don't have any money that would have been a problem."

Leia laughed at his joke but it was obvious even without the Force that she was too worried to be seriously amused. Once Kes was out of the room she didn't even bother with the façade and just handed Luke a datapad. Blaring out from the screen was a news article: **Darth Vader's Son Executed By Rebels.**

 _It is a sad day for the galaxy. Since we first met Luke Skywalker seven years ago the whole galaxy has been entranced by the boy. Whether watching his gymnastics career with pride or marveling at his quick smile everyone has found something about the Imperial heir to love. That is why it is my sad duty to inform readers that young Skywalker was brutally executed by the Rebellion yesterday. A video with the execution surfaced early this morning (Warning: Link contains gruesome images). _

_Little has been known of Skywalker's whereabouts since his school graduation, but it was suspected he was carrying out a solo mission for the Emperor. It appears that mission ended with him being discovered by Rebels, tried for espionage, and beheaded using his own lightsaber._

 _The Imperial Palace and Darth Vader have been unavailable for comment, but Admiral Cassel, whose son was close friends with Luke, had this comment to offer, "I was deeply distressed to see the video of Luke's death. Nowhere else could you find a better heir or kinder boy. I offer my deepest condolences to his father and know he will be sorely missed. To the rebels and murderers who did this I have only one word-run. You have not made this Empire weak, but you have made her angry. What you did to Luke will not be forgotten. He deserved better."_

 _It is unknown when memorial services will be held or if the body will be returned for funeral. Luke Skywalker was eighteen years old._

Luke re-read the article a second time before believing that his eyes weren't tricking him and clicking on the link. The video it led to was truly gruesome, but the thing that disturbed Luke most was that that truly did look like his lightsaber. It truly did look like him. If he didn't know better he'd have believed it which means…

"We've already found the three people responsible," Leia admitted taking the Datapad before it could fall from Luke's hands. "They're to face High Command as soon as I leave here. I do not know what they thought this would achieve but I assure you it was not sanctioned. In fact this will probably end very, very poorly for us."

Luke didn't doubt that. His father was undoubtedly a mess. This would only serve to push him further into the darkness and make him even more relentless in destroying the rebels. "You need to let me contact him."

"Luke we can't…"

"You sent him the first video right?" Leia had said his confession would probably be sent, and Luke didn't doubt it had been. "Record another video. You can stand right here and make sure I don't give any secret code. Please Leia. He thinks I'm dead. Everyone I know thinks I'm dead. I can't let them believe that. It… it will destroy them! Please, let me record a message. You can post it right on the HoloNet so everyone knows at once. Please. Don't make my father think I am dead. Even you can't want him to hurt that much."

Leia looked at him for a moment, probably wondering whether or not she did want to hurt Vader that much. Whatever conclusion she came to, however, she nodded. "I'll bring it up at the meeting after we decide what to do about those who recorded it. I make no promises Luke. I don't know if he others will agree the risk is worth it."

"If you don't let me do this my father will come at you with a fury like no other. If I can reassure him you're treating me properly he'll take a step back not wanting to antagonize you into hurting me."

"In the past week he's gathered over a hundred prisoners of war to use as leverage for your release," Leia admitted quietly grabbing the pad and heading back towards the door. "I still think he's a monster, but I get why you love him. He loves you more than anything. I don't get it, but I know it's true."

It was. It really was. And that, that was why Luke didn't need to be close enough to his father to communicate to know exactly how his father felt. The whole Force ached with an unbearable sorrow, and it crushed Luke. _I'm here Father. I'm alive. This isn't like with Mom, I'll come back to you. I promise._

In Leia's absence Luke tried to use the Force to contact his father, but it didn't work. Wherever Vader was it was clearly too far. Hopefully Leia had good news though, and from the Holorecorder in her hands she did. "I've convinced the rest of High Command that it's more dangerous to let Vader think you're dead than for you to send a message, but it must be short. You're alive nothing more. Understood?"

Of course. Luke would have done the same thing were things reversed. Still he was going to be allowed to tell his father and everyone else he was alive. That was all that mattered. "The people who made the video?"

"They are to be hanged. They knew that posting this video meant endangering the Alliance and they did it to hurt your father anyways. The video of their execution will be posted along with what you record."

Luke didn't need to ask Leia why they wanted to hurt his father and why they'd go about it in this specific way. Most likely one or all of them had lost a son to the Empire in this infernal war, and they thought that revenge was the best way to get closure. Instead it was just the way to close their lives. Luke felt a bit bad that they were going so far as executing them though. Surely that was a bit harsh? Yet in a way what they did was treason and the punishment for treason in every society was execution. Still it felt like more people dying because of Luke and he was really sick of that.

"Okay, it's all set," Leia told Luke offering him a faint smile. "Say what you need to, but remember keep it short and no secret conversations."

Luke nodded and saw the light turn green. Speaking into the camera was odd, so Luke just pretended he was talking to Leah. Leia and Leah were enough alike that Luke could do it, and maybe that would make it hurt less. Of everyone he knew, Leah was probably the least devastated at the moment. She could hold together through anything.

"Hi, um, this is strange but it's me, Luke Skywalker," Luke began. He knew more of the galaxy than just those who knew him would see this, but if he imagined he was talking to everyone he'd certainly go mad. "I'm currently living as the guest of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, full quarters and all. Obviously I'm not allowed to leave those quarters, but beyond being bored I'm well. Obviously I'm not dead. That video was faked to hurt my father and from what I hear those who made it have been condemned by the Alliance High Command. Look I'm not really allowed to say much, but I want everyone to know I am alive and well. I can't imagine thinking one of my friends was dead… Well the Rebels were generous enough to allow me to reassure the galaxy that they have not killed me, so this is me doing that. Um, I'm being told I need to stop talking, so all I have left to say is- I love you. And May the Force be with you all."

Leia clicked off the camera, for which Luke was grateful for. His throat seemed suddenly tight and the air around him was surprisingly difficult to breathe. Damn he missed them. He'd been thinking of his father a lot, but there were others Luke loved too. He had a lot of friends out there and knowing they all thought him dead, even for a short time, was horrible. His thoughts cast out to his grandparents. They were probably just as ,if not more, distressed than his father. They'd already lost their daughter. To lose her son as well… Well Luke just hoped this message didn't get to them too late. At their age Luke wasn't sure they'd be able to handle it.

"We'll get this out soon as possible," Leia promised. "Why don't you try and get some sleep? I'll see you tomorrow." She left and Luke couldn't help but smile. This was the first time she'd actually admitted that she was coming to see him every day. This was the first time she'd admitted it wasn't a chore but instead something she did willingly. He'd tried for a long time on Coruscant to get her to like him, to trust him. Interesting how it was only after his deceit was discovered that she did. But she did, and she came the next day, as well as the next, and the one after that for a total of a month. And then, one day, she didn't.


	16. Chapter 16

Do you ever just love Luke so much? Because I do. I think he's great. Anyways, I hope you all read and enjoy.

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Chapter 16

Luke was aware of the sullen tension within the Alliance base the moment he woke up, and waited anxiously for Leia to show up and tell him what was wrong. While technically she wasn't supposed to share any Alliance information with him, Leia had recently been pretty loose-lipped. She didn't tell Luke anything important of course, but it seemed she felt that since he still lived on the base he deserved to know if the base was about to get blown up.

So when she didn't show up by dinner-time Luke was nervous, but when Mon Mothma showed up instead he was terrified. "Where's Leia? What happened to her?"

If Mothma was surprised that Luke knew something was wrong she didn't show it. Instead she gave him her sternest look and asked, "Do you care for the princess at all?"

"Of course. She's a friend, despite everything. What's wrong? I want to help."

"That is what I was counting on," Mothma replied her shoulders losing a bit at Luke's words. "Leia has been captured by your father while retrieving valuable information. We intend to mount a rescue attempt, but since we never retrieved that information we know nothing about where she is being held nor the dangers it presents to the galaxy. If you truly care for Leia you need to tell me what you know about the Death Star."

The Death Star? Why was Leia there? In fact why was Luke's father there; that was Tarkin's little project. "What do you mean you don't know anything about it? A group of Rebels invaded it to try and assassinate my father three years ago! I would know; they cut off my hand!"

Mothma twitched a bit at the accusation, but her purpose was firm. "The attack did not occur on the Death Star. We knew nothing of the base, only that your father's ship would be docked there. Besides three years ago the base was a mess of metal, now it appears to be complete."

So Luke's plan had helped speed up the completion of the base, and therefore contributed to Leia's predicament. _Nice going Luke._ "It's a science research station, that's all. It's probably not too well defended normally, though if my father is there you're going to have a hard time fighting his men."

"A science research station?" Mothma repeated looking both surprised and slightly suspicious. "Luke this is Leia's life we're talking about. Are you sure that is all it is? Initial reports indicated it might be some sort of super weapon."

Luke considered the possibility, but dismissed it. Why would they need a giant super weapon? Star Destroyers already did more than enough damage to any Rebel base found. The issue was finding the Alliance, not destroying them. "My father said it was a science research station."

Mothma studied Luke for a minute more but finally nodded. "Very well then. We can only hope you are correct. We feared the loss of this information could mean the death of millions."

"Loss of information- I thought we were talking about Leia!" Luke howled standing tall next to the Alliance leader. "My father will kill her! You said you wanted to stage a rescue mission."

Guilt flashed past Mothma's eyes, but she stood unblinkingly before Luke. "We did, if the information was necessary for the protection of the galaxy. The Princess would not want us to risk lives just to save her if the information was not as important as we believed. Her sacrifice is sad, and I am sorry, but there is nothing we can do."

Nothing they would do. Luke had seen the Alliance stage huge rescues for captains and they wouldn't do it for a member of High Command? Did they only care for a life when that person was likely to break under torture? Luke didn't doubt his father would torture Leia for information as to where he was being held, and Leia would equally assuredly not tell him anything. So did she not matter because her knowledge wouldn't be revealed? It made Luke sick. He understood why High Command had made the call. He knew it was what Leia would want, but that didn't make it right.

Luke had figured out some time ago how he could get out, get his lightsaber, and make it back to his father. The only thing that had kept him from going before was that Luke didn't want to leave Leia. There, he'd admitted it. He'd been selfishly wanting to spend time with Leia over his father, and if Luke admitted something else he did not want to see how disappointed his father was that Luke had failed.

But things were suddenly different, and so Luke waited until night-cycle fell and put his plan into action. Banging frantically on the door to his quarters Luke cried, "Hey! Hey I need some help in here!"

His guard opened the door blaster raised, and looked around to see what Luke was crying about. "What's going on in here?"

"You will loosen my tracker and leave the room with the door open," Luke calmly told the guard.

The guard looked at Luke suspiciously; clearly they had found guards who weren't easily persuaded by the Force. "I'll tighten that tracker, Imperial Scum."

Luke was not deterred. Focusing all his energy and connection to the Force Luke repeated the command, "You will loosen my tracker and leave the room with the door open."

The guard's eyes glossed over and he bent down to loosen the ankle tracker they'd placed to keep an eye on Luke. (He also suspected it could be used to shock him if he tried to run. Slaves on Tatooine used to have things like that, except they exploded.) At least Luke wasn't going to explode as his guard released him. "I will loosen your tracker and leave the room with the door open."

The guard was almost out the door before Luke realized he should probably add a second part to the command, "And you'll drop your weapon!"

"And I'll drop my weapon."

Once the guard was gone Luke picked up the blaster and immediately set it to stun. Leia had accidentally mentioned that since the video disaster she'd been keeping his lightsaber in her room, and so he carefully crept through the halls looking for Officers' Quarters. A few times he heard laughing voices and ducked behind something, but he found Leia's quarters without having to stun anyone. The door had a pass code, and after panicking for a second Luke tried the date of their birthday. The light turned green, the door slid open, and Luke ducked inside.

The room was incessantly organized, and Luke found himself oddly curious. As much as he knew that sooner or later someone would realize he had escaped, he couldn't help but look through Leia's papers. They all seemed to be official Alliance information, and Luke wondered if she had any hobbies. Probably not. She'd been in public service most of her life, and her free time probably consisted of that which she spent with Luke. It made him sad.

In the other corner of the room was a locked box, so Luke tried to refocus and see if his saber was within. The box was old and wooden, ornately decorated with what Luke recognized as the Organa House Sigil. It required an actual key, which Luke couldn't find anywhere, so, as much as he pained himself to do so (literally and metaphorically), he snapped the lock off and opened it up.

His saber was, in fact, inside, but Luke found himself far more interested by the other objects in the box. The bracelet she'd worn at his graduation party, the one she said belonged to her mother, sat next to a few other items Luke could only assume belonged to Leia's mother as well. One of them, a japor snippet, caught Luke's attention. Giving someone you love a japor snippet was a traditional Tatooine custom, and the inscription on it was Tatooine. Was Leia's birth mother from Tatooine?

He couldn't exactly explain why, but Luke found himself grabbing the snippet in addition to his lightsaber. He'd give it back to Leia once he found her; she'd need the good luck to escape. For that matter he could use the good luck in just getting to her.

Knowing he was running out of time, Luke pulled the necklace over his head and peered out into the corridor. No one was around. If his luck held he might just make it to the hanger bay without being spotted.

Luke's luck didn't hold even with the snippet. As soon as he reached the corridor outside the hanger bay someone recognized him and started blasting. He quickly ignited his saber and harmlessly deflected the blast, but everything descended into chaos. Cursing silently to himself, Luke trusted his instinct and turned off his saber. He carefully sidestepped each blast while trying to stun those around him. One blast hit him firmly in the shoulder, causing Luke to cry out with pain, and another practically took off his mechanical hand, but he managed to stun the last of them and make his way into the hanger bay without dying.

The bay was mainly deserted, but one pilot who had been working on his ship when the noise began stood hidden behind an X-Wing. Thinking he was alone Luke dashed towards the very same ship and found himself trapped, a blaster pointed right at his head.

"Damn it Luke," Kes muttered his hand not moving away from the trigger even as Luke dropped the blaster he'd been using. "I thought you were coming around."

Luke kept his hands firmly in front of him and weighed his options. He could probably try to mind trick Kes, but if it didn't work first try he might get himself shot. Kes might be Luke's friend but he was also committed to protecting Luke from himself, and his father. So maybe if Luke just explained… "It's not what you think."

"I think you've trying to get back to your psycho father! The one you admitted to me hurt you when you disappointed him. Don't you think he might do it again now that you got yourself captured?"

Was that how Kes had taken it? Luke had begun to think Kes understood, but it seemed like he didn't at all. "It's not like that! He never meant to choke me. He's not going to hurt me. And this isn't even about getting back to him. It's about Leia."

That clearly surprised him because Kes lowered his blaster ever so slightly. He still could obviously kill Luke before the teen could get to his saber, but the situation was slightly less dire. "What about her?"

"My father has her, and High Command refuses to even try and save her. Yes I'm going back to him because I love him, but I'm going to send Leia back to you because she loves this!"

Kes stared at Luke for a moment, then another. Finally, however, he saw the desperate pleading in Luke's eyes and nodded lowering his blaster. "Fine. I trust you Luke, but don't forget those things we spoke about. Don't forget that people need to be allowed to tell the truth. And I need you to punch me as well so they don't know I let you go."

Luke couldn't believe Kes, and vowed that whatever happened he'd find a way to show Kes the trust and friendship he had shown Luke. Focusing his energy Luke harmlessly knocked Kes unconscious, much the way his father would do when Luke was little and didn't want to sleep. Then Luke moved his friend safely out of the way and got the heck out of there. He, the Imperial Prince, had a princess to save.


	17. Chapter 17

Now if anyone wants to practice their close reading I would recommend doing it on this chapter, because I'm actually really proud of the levels of symbolism I managed to have. Ha ha, I'm such a nerd. Anyways, enjoy!

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Chapter 17

When Luke dropped out of hyperspace near the Death Star he found himself almost crashing into the Executor. Panicking slightly after remembering that he was in a Rebel X-Wing, Luke open up a com channel straight towards someone who would hopefully be on the bridge. "Captain Piett! If you can hear me it's Luke. Please don't shoot the X-Wing on the starboard side because I really don't want to die!"

"Message received," the voice of Luke's favorite Captain called over the Com. "It's good to hear your voice Luke. Ozzel owes me a hundred credits; he thought it would take you at least a week more to escape."

Considering both Ozzel and Piett had been forced to 'babysit' Luke during summers with the Death Squadron Luke wasn't surprised they thought he'd made it out by himself. He'd certainly escaped from under their watchful eyes enough times. "Is my father on board?"

"He's in the brig interrogating a Rebel we captured with plans to the Death Star," Piet confirmed. "Do you want me to contact him? I'm sure he's worried."

"I can do it myself, just give me clearance to land in the bay nearest his quarters," Luke replied easily his mind secretly spinning. So Leia had been brought aboard the Executor. That would make it both harder and easier for Luke to free her, but he was still committed to doing so. She'd saved his life and he'd save hers.

The clearance code came through immediately, and Luke pulled the Wing into the hanger bay. It felt weird to be back among the Empire. He knew most of the people stationed on the Executor, had for years, and yet did any of them know him anymore? Did Luke know himself anymore? He liked to think he was still committed to his family, but he was also planning on helping a member of Alliance High Command escape. Could those two things really coexist?

 _"_ _Father,"_ Luke tentatively called out through the Force _. "It's me. I escaped and am heading to your quarters. Please come meet me. I miss you."_

 _"_ _Luke!"_ His father sounded overjoyed, but an undercurrent of tension lined his voice. _"Get to my quarters as quickly as possible. I'll meet you there. There is much for us to discuss… I am glad you are safe."_

Luke was too, but he didn't like the worry in his father's voice. It seemed that he would probably not like their conversation, yet he would actually be able to see his father for the first time in months. The weight on Luke's shoulders started to evaporate as he made his way through the familiar ship and towards his father's quarters. More than one person saw and recognized Luke, but, despite their obvious confusion, no one tried to stop him. It was obvious Luke was heading home, and they didn't want to delay that reunion.

When Luke reached his father's quarters he sensed the man already inside, and came right in. His father looked the same as always, black billowing cape, imposing dark mask, but the man's Force presence was light and loving. He was thrilled to see Luke, even if a dark undercurrent of worry existed as well. "My son," he whispered moving close enough to Luke that he could cup his face. "I am so glad to see you safe. When I thought you were dead…. Well even after your video I worried."

Luke could sense the lingering effects of that worry in his father. Perhaps the man had changed. He seemed… older maybe? Sadder? "I've missed you," Luke admitted trying not to cry. He was an adult. He didn't need to cry just because he finally got to come home. The joy within him was boundless however, and Luke could feel the prickling tears. "Force I've missed you. I hate this, all of this fighting. I wish we could just run away from it all."

"Your mother asked me to run away with her shortly after I learned of her pregnancy," he admitted the weight of emotion heavy through his altered voice. "I should have done so. Then I would not have lost you both."

"You haven't lost me," Luke reminded his father anxiety thick in his words. What was wrong? They were together now. It wasn't like Luke would have to go back to his mission now that the Alliance knew. What could possibly be so wrong to upset his normally-calm father so? "I'm right here."

Vader nodded and reached out to squeeze Luke's shoulder as if to double check that was true. "You cannot stay. The Emperor considers you a failure. If he discovers your presence here he will order me to kill you, and that is something I cannot do. You must go to your mother's house in Varykino. Once I am done my work here, I will meet you and we can plan. You are strong, and together we can overthrow the Emperor. Then we will rule as father and son, just as we always wanted."

Just as he had always wanted. Luke had only ever wanted them to actually be able to be together. But surely this was the way. Palpatine was the one who sent his father on long missions. Palpatine was the reason they'd never had a normal life. With him out of the way… Luke had to admit it sounded lovely. Plus his father would surely reinstate the senate. He hated politics; he wouldn't want to waste the time actually running things. No things could be exactly as Luke imagined them. But then there was of course still the Alliance, and Luke remembered his secondary mission to free Leia, even if it meant them going back to opposite sides of the war.

"Couldn't we just run away now?" Luke wondered to himself more than anything. "The two of us are strong enough to fight anyone who would dare attack us. We could just forget about the Empire, go to Varykino. Do either of us actually want the responsibility of the galaxy on our shoulders?"

"You have grown so much, but you are still very young, my son. So long as the Death Star exists there is nowhere in the galaxy we would be safe. Sooner or later the Emperor would discover us and he would not think twice about destroying Naboo to destroy us."

Luke knew it was true and yet… "Father, how would a science research station destroy a whole planet?"

Father and son stared at each other for a moment, the only sound being Vader's thick respirator. Finally, however, Vader pointed out the window towards the Death Star. "When you were a child I told you the Death Star was a science research station, but you are old enough to know the truth. The Death Star is a powerful weapon capable of blowing up a planet. Already it has been tested on Alderaan to punish the Princess Leia for your imprisonment."

Luke stared at his father blinking. What? Surely he'd heard wrong. His brain wasn't even capable of processing such a ridiculous notion. "What?"

"The Death Star is a weapon," Vader repeated clearly not surprised that his very sensitive son was set off-kilter by the news. "We would never be safe on Naboo. The Emperor would know we went there and destroy the whole planet to get to us."

"No, no I got that part. I mean what did you do to Alderaan?" Luke's heartbeat couldn't manage to get a steady rhythm. His brain didn't seem to want to process his father's words. Surely he was just confused. Surely it was not true. It couldn't be. His father wasn't a bad person. His father would never do that.

Except his father was standing before Luke not even appearing moved the slightest by his words, "Alderaan has been destroyed. They have long been a planet of Rebels and the galaxy is better off without them."

"There were billions of people on Alderaan! Women, children, innocent people!" Luke shrieked the blood in his veins rising. How could his father just stand there and casually admit to genocide? This could not be happening. Luke's father could not just explode billions of people to hurt Leia.

Vader sensed that Luke was taking the news poorly, and reached out to grab the boy's shoulder. Luke pulled away, however, and Vader found himself accidentally grabbing the necklace around Luke's neck. For a terrifying moment father choked son, but the leather snapped sending Luke flying backwards onto the floor. He went to help the boy up before Luke got any more upset, but stopped when he actually noticed what Luke had been wearing.

"Where did you get this?" he asked rubbing a metal finger over the gentle inscription.

"I found it," Luke lied getting up and angrily brushing himself off. Did his father think he could just so quickly change the subject? "It doesn't matter. What matters is that YOU DESTROYED AN ENTIRE KRIFFING PLANET!"

But Vader did not seem to care that his son was practically ready to kill him, and that if he didn't act fast it would be too late to repair things. All he could think of was the woman he'd already destroyed and the love he'd already lost. "It belonged to your mother. I made it for her when we first met. I never… how did you get this?"

"What?" Luke asked all the fight instantly sucked out of his voice. What could his father be talking about? Luke had thought he was confused before but suddenly everything seemed a whole lot worse. "Do you know who she gave it to?"

"She never gave it to anyone. She worse it during her funeral," Vader's mask made his voice only have one volume, but there was a whispery quality to his musing that shocked Luke even further. (And his whole world had just been turned upside down for the second time in only a minute.) Because if this necklace belonged to his mother, and the necklace belonged to Leia's mother, and it had only ever been owned by one person then…

Luke suddenly understood why the Jedi forbid attachments. Family was insufferably difficult. He wished he could just turn it off, all the feeling, all the hurting, all the confusion, but he could not. No Luke could not, but he could pretend he had. Maybe he could hold it off for long enough to do what he had to and only break down after he, and Leia, were gone.

"I am going to leave now," Luke told his father. His voice sounded cold, detached, but it was all in an attempt not to show the pain, fear and confusion Luke felt on the inside. If he let even one drop of his emotion break through the wall he knew the whole thing would come tumbling down. "And I am going to take Leia with me because I think you have done enough damage today. And you can fight me if you want to, and I will fight you, but I will not kill you, and you will not kill me, so we will only succeed in hurting each other."

Vader stared at his son, and Luke could see his hand twitching near his saber. He obviously was shocked by the turn of events, and clearly was as confused as Luke was. "The princess?" he finally accused. "This about the princess, because of your feelings for her?"

"This is about you being a slave to the Dark Side and murdering billions of people," Luke's voice quivered with anger. He'd been so stupid. So so stupid. Just because his father was good to him that did not make his father good. No one so entrenched in the Dark Side could ever be good or decent. He truly was the monster everyone thought him to be, even if he was a monster who loved his son. "And you do not know anything about Leia, and I'm not going to tell you because she deserves better than you. We both do. So are you going to fight me, or are you going to let us leave?"

Even when saying Luke was old enough to know the truth of the Death Star, Vader still saw his son as a child, but not anymore. No the Luke standing before him was a man, a man and a Jedi, like his father before him. He was strong, powerful, and fierce. Vader could not be more proud, and yet he also was scared. Somehow he doubted this was a fight he could win, and he could not imagine hurting Luke the way he had Padme, not while holding the necklace he once gave her in his hand.

"The men in the brig will release her to you without question," Vader finally replied stepping out of his son's way. "But do not leave lightly. If you do this, if you turn your back on your family and the Empire, you do not do so lightly. There are some decisions from which you cannot return."

Luke knew his father was referring to his own turn to the Dark Side, but Luke wasn't turning to the Dark. He was heading towards the Light. "I am not walking away from my family, father. I'm doing what I must for us all to be together in a galaxy free from your tyranny. Goodbye father."


	18. Chapter 18

Anyone up for a double update? No, well too bad. I've just done 5 hours straight worth of homework and still have another hour to do, so you're getting a double update AND YOU'RE GONNA LIKE IT!

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Chapter 18

"Lord Skywalker, I'm glad to see you safe," the prison guard called out when Luke entered the detention level. The teen nodded to the guard trying to keep himself from completely panicking. Now that he was away from his father it was a lot harder to keep focused, but Luke could not let himself get emotional. His father could still change his mind about just letting him and Leia walk out of there. Vader had done many questionable things before to avoid getting in a fight with his son but this, this was a whole new level. Luke was pretty sure that the moment his father regained his senses they'd be in a world of trouble, and they needed to get off the Executor before that happened.

"Thank you," Luke replied curtly. "I am afraid I cannot stay. I am to escort the prisoner to Coruscant for her execution. What cell is she in?"

"2187," the guard easily replied. "This will show the Rebels not to mess with Imperial kids, am I right?"

Luke did not respond, mostly because he didn't know what to say. The hatred of the Alliance grew deep among those Imperially raised, but Luke knew too many Rebels and too many Imperials to think of anyone on either side as more than just 'people.'

He moved back into the detention block and quickly found where Leia was being kept. Luke paused for a moment unsure what he was even supposed to say to Leia. He certainly didn't have time to explain everything now, and it was best he just get somewhere to think before letting anything out. Finally he decided on just igniting his saber and opening the door. "Come on, we're going."

"Wha… Luke?" Leia cried jumping to her feet. "How are you…"

"It doesn't matter," Luke told her, but she didn't seem quite ready to leave with him. It made sense of course that she'd be hesitant. They'd been something, maybe friends, when he was her prisoner, but it was quite possible Luke was going to be her executioner back in his territory. "You had a japor snippet in the same box as my lightsaber. That belonged to your mother, correct, your birth mother?"

Leia stared at Luke for a long second before finally nodding. Letting out a breathe Luke hadn't known he was holding in, he stood aside so Leia could pass through the door. "I'll explain why it matters once we're out of here. The hanger bay is this way."

"What is going on?" Leia hissed as Luke grabbed her arms and ignited his saber. "Are you rescuing me or leading me to my death?"

Couldn't they sometimes be the same thing? "I don't know. That's going to depend on whether or not my father changes his mind about letting us go," Luke admitted pushing her forward a step. "So we should probably hurry in case he does."

Leia didn't seem to want to budge, however, and despite being so small Luke found himself unable to move her. "How do I know this isn't just some ploy for you to get back in the Alliance's good graces?"

Wow, Leia was always so paranoid. Luke hadn't gotten that particular trait but it made sense at least one of them did. "Leia, I'm not going to ask you to trust me, because you can't. But trust yourself, trust the Force."

"The Force?" Leia seemed completely flustered by the idea. "I can't feel the Force. Luke, have you gone mad?"

It was certainly a possibility, yes. After all he was walking away from his father, from his life, all for some great unknown 'goodness'. But if Luke told himself he was walking away for Leia then it seemed to make a lot more sense. "Trust your feelings, what do they tell you?"

Leia was obviously annoyed by Luke's prodding, but she finally huffed and said, "Let's go."

She moved ahead of Luke, and he barely managed to catch up to her before she burst in on a couple guards, "Um, you're my prisoner, remember?" Leia didn't look to pleased by the reminder but she allowed for Luke to wrap binders around her wrists and lead her from the detention cell.

"Who's the prisoner now, Rebel scum," one of the guards jeered as Luke tried to steer Leia past. Luke felt the hairs on the back of his neck brisling in anger, but Leia seemed unfazed. Even as more insults (and a few other things) were flung at Leia she appeared unfazed. Luke on the other hand was ready to scream, and it was only the knowledge that doing so would get Leia hurt that really stopped him.

"How can you stand it?" Luke whispered as they rounded the corner to a blissfully empty corridor.

"Do not feel the need to defend my honor," Leia bit back in reply. "I assure you as a powerful young woman I've been called much worse." Luke didn't doubt it, not really, and that was why he didn't question her anymore as they made their way down the last stretch and into the hanger bay.

Luke scanned the bay for a brief moment trying to figure out which ship would be the best to take, and was so busied in his task that he did not notice the looming figure standing in the bay until he heard the hiss of a lightsaber. Turning quickly Luke saw his father, cape billowing, mask dark, standing there blade at the ready. "I am sorry, my son, but I cannot allow you to do this."

In one swift motion Luke unhooked Leia's binders and ignited his own blade to stand as a shield between her and his father. "You do not know what you're doing father. Let us go and you will not regret it. I will return to you when the time is right."

"You are an insolent child who needs to learn the ways of the world," his father responded with an even tenor. "I have given you too much freedom, and it is time you learned to be an adult instead of following your whims."

As if he could talk. Which one of them married a woman they hadn't seen in a decade after only a few days? Which one of them had the forbidden child? "I'm sorry father, but I am doing what I must for our family. You will understand someday."

And with that final declaration Luke swung his saber towards his father, catching the man off guard. Luke never made the first move, not even in their training sessions, but things were different. This was no longer father-son bonding. It was a true duel, and Luke fought with a conviction unseen before. For the first time he truly knew not only what he was doing but why he was doing, and the Light side multiplied boundlessly within him.

Vader swung back using his brute force, but as their blades met the stalemate was already obvious. Neither of them was truly willing to hurt the other, and yet Luke had to save Leia, and Vader had to keep his son from leaving. So the battle continued with father parrying son, master blocking apprentice. A few confused troopers ran out to watch what was going on, but no one wanted to interrupt the fight between father and son.

"There is an escape pod directly down a floor," Luke finally called to Leia unsure how he could possibly beat his father but knowing he had to get her out. Should he not make it out Leia would be fine and he would just be in for the worst grounding of his life. If Leia didn't get out…

"Escape pods!" Leia hissed. "We're in hyperspace! If you're trying to execute me there are plenty of better ways to do it."

"The escape pods are specially designed to safely drop out of hyperspace at the nearest inhabited planet. Now go!"

Luke could sense Leia's hesitation, and Vader took advantage of the teen's distraction to push back on Luke with renewed strength. Seeing Luke re-locked in battle forced Leia's decision, and she ran right out of the hanger as fast as she could.

Luke meanwhile felt himself growing weaker. His father had always had the advantage of strength over Luke's youth, but Luke was injured. The blasts he'd received while trying to escape the Alliance were beginning to burn, and Luke was beyond exhausted. As Leia moved to safety, and the adrenaline left Luke's body, he was quickly losing the fight.

It was time to act and he knew it. Either Luke prayed Leia was gone and gave up the fight, or he had to do something drastic to guarantee her safety. Luke used the Force to push his father back for a second so he could send out his senses to Leia. She was unharmed, but still on the ship.

That made Luke's decision clear, and he suddenly had a very Skywalker idea. As his father's blade met Luke's again the teen directed them both down towards the floor carving a circle through it with the blades. Before Vader could even realize what his son had done, the metal floor dropped towards the level below, and through the hole went the much smaller Luke.

He landed with a thud on the floor below, and looked up to see his father stuck between floors. A fresh wave of guilt passed through Luke, but he knew he was doing the right thing. Leia needed him more than his father, and if Luke was being honest, he wasn't sure he could provide any help to his father at all at the moment. Not considering what he'd done to Alderaan.

Looking away from his father's dangling legs Luke ran towards the escape pod Leia had forced her way into. Without exchanging another word Luke jettisoned them out of the ship and on their way. The pod lingered in hyperspace for a moment, and it left Luke in close enough proximity to his father to hear the last haunting words. _"I trusted you, and you betrayed me, just as your mother did."_

Those words would haunt Luke for a very long time.

"What happened?" Leia finally asked looking at Luke with a new light in her eyes. Obviously any doubts she'd had about Luke's sincerity had been dispelled by his willingness to humiliate his father to save her. "You've wanted to return to your father for weeks and now you're just leaving?"

Luke took his time answered the question. By the time he could bring himself to speak their pod had been begun its decent into the atmosphere of an all-too-familiar planet beating under two hot suns. "He told me what happened to Alderaan," Luke finally admitted and he felt the jarring pain beaming out from Leia. Looking upon Tatooine Luke couldn't imagine how he'd feel if it was just gone. All of Leia's friends, all of her family were gone.

Except her family wasn't all gone, Luke realized suddenly, and he had no idea how to tell her that. Would she be able to accept the truth? She hated his father, their father, more than anyone, and with good reason. Should Luke even tell her? But then how could he keep it a secret? She deserved to know the truth even if it hurt. Surely Luke was in pain, but he was glad he knew the truth of his father.

"Leia, I'm so sorry about what happened. If I'd known what the Death Star did I would never have just sat by," Luke told her. Leia nodded, but he noticed tears brisling in her eyes. She tried to hide them, but it was an impossible task. "It's okay to cry Leia. You don't have to be strong, not around me."

Leia did let her tears flow at this point. She sat choking on her sobs for her life, her family, her world, and then she looked at Luke. "You're his son. I should hate you! I want to hate you but I can't. I'm a horrible person."

"You're not horrible because you can't hate someone. Not being able to hate makes you good Leia, it doesn't make you bad."

Leia nodded, and tried to wipe her tears before she devolved into any more of a mess. A part of Luke was secretly glad that she could conceal her emotions. He knew it wasn't particularly healthy and that he should help her work through them, but Luke didn't know how to work through his own emotions, never mind Leia's. "Where are we even going anyways?"

"Tatooine," Luke answered as the escape pod reached the atmosphere and started quaking from the sheer force. The pod was of a sturdy enough design that Luke didn't worry it would fail, but the noise of the fire burning around them was too loud for him to talk over. Or perhaps he just didn't want to try. How could it possibly be the right time for Luke to tell her the truth? Her father, her real father, had just blown up her whole planet! If she struggled to see Luke's goodness because of who he came from then surely knowing would make her question her own goodness as well. _No_ , Luke decided as the pod came to a jerking stop in the desert wastelands. _I won't tell her, not now. For now I need to focus on getting us back to the Alliance so we can come up with some plan to destroy the Death Star. No one else is going to face the fate of Alderaan. I won't allow it._


	19. Chapter 19

You know my favorite thing about re-reading fics I wrote is watching the chronicle of my life through author's notes. Well on this episode, I JUST APPLIED TO COLLEGE. Woohooo! Of course I I still have 7 others to apply to, but YAY!

Anyways, you're not here for me, you're here for the chronicles of 'poor Luke' (And Leia). Enjoy!

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Chapter 19

Their pod crashed in the desert, which, while lucky enough not to cause damage, was also terribly unlucky. The deserts of Tatooine spread for miles around, and Luke wasn't sure he'd be able to make it that far. He doubted either of them could with the pod's limited rations of water. "Great," Leia declared climbing out of the pod. "Now what do we do? I would have thought you at least had a plan."

Luke couldn't help but smile. There was his strong-spirited, if slightly obnoxious, Leia. "Give me a minute."

"A minute, what are you going to do in a minute?" She complained attempting to climb one of the sand ridges and look out over the expansive desert. Obviously she didn't see anything promising because she climbed back down and continued her tirade. "Doesn't this pod have any sort of navigation device? How in the galaxy are we supposed to find our way to civilization without even a compass?"

Luke pointed towards the twin suns shielding his eyes to look at them. "The only good thing about having two suns is you can find your direction based on where they are in relation to each other without even knowing the time. It's almost night actually which is good. Once the stars are out I'll be able to figure out exactly where we are, and it's cooler to travel at night anyways. Normally we'd have to worry about Sandpeople but…" Luke trailed off motioning to his lightsaber.

"How could you possibly know how to navigate? I've barely even heard of Tatooine!"

Leia was giving Luke a look of sheer incredulousness, and he couldn't help but smirk. She got so easily flustered, and he found it amusing. In an odd way it reminded Luke of Rickon's reaction during their schemes. (He didn't want to think of his friends back on Coruscant however, because that made him think of his father, which hurt too much to do.)

"Leia, I know Tatooine." Apparently things weren't clicking in her mind, so Luke elaborated. "I spent the first ten years of my life on Tatooine. My Uncle taught me how to navigate using the stars in case I ever got lost. As soon as the suns set I'll know right where we are."

Leia was clearly impressed, and Luke wondered if she knew how to navigate Alderaan. No, if she had known. Alderaan was gone. Leia would never have a chance to navigate it again. "I'd forgotten Vader didn't raise you. Perhaps that's why you turned out the way you did."

She obviously meant it as a complement, but in light of his father's parting words Luke struggled to accept it. "Yeah, well it mostly just led to a lot of years of confusion. Sometimes I think I would have been better off if I'd just stayed with my aunt and uncle."

"You're doing the right thing now, and that's all that matters," Leia reassured grabbing Luke's hand. He cried out in pain, and she pulled at his glove to reveal the burn that had gone through his synthetic skin and right to the mechanical nerves beneath. "Luke! You're hurt. How did this happen?"

Luke pulled his hand away not wanting her to fret. "I got shot escaping the Alliance. Don't worry about it. There is nothing we can do out here."

Leia seemed determined however and she climbed back in the pod. When she came back out she had a medical kit in her hand. "I can at least cover the wires," she told him. "Did you get hit anywhere else?"

Luke probably would have lied had she not grabbed his shoulder to steady him and cry out in pain. Completely un-amused she pulled off his shirt to get a look at the wound beneath. "You're going to get yourself killed," she declared cleaning the blast. The anti-septic burned on Luke's skin and he clenched his jaw in pain, but soon enough it was over and Leia was placing a bacta bandage on it. Within moments the pain started to numb and Luke found himself able to see much clearer.

By the time she was finished the suns had set far enough that Luke could make out the stars, and he began calculations in his head. Soon enough it became clear to him that they were lucky, very lucky, as to their crash site. "We're in the Jundland Wastelands which is good."

"Wastelands doesn't sound good to me," Leia objected, but she was obviously intrigued by Luke being so sure of his abilities. "How is that good?"

Luke pointed out two star clusters, "Those are the twins. They hang right overhead of Anchorhead this time of year, which means we're only a day's walk to Mos Eisley. It also means we're only an hour away from Ben's place, and I can guarantee he'll show up if we go there," Luke told her igniting his lightsaber to use for light and heading the right direction.

Leia followed behind before tripping over her dress. The white fabric ripped, and Luke bent down to just tear it off at her knees. Leia seemed confused when he bent down to do so, but she didn't fight him, and Luke appreciated the growing trust.

Even if she was still complaining. "Who is Ben and why do we need him to show up? We need to get back to the Alliance before the Death Star can be used again."

As if Luke didn't know that. But for the moment they were stuck on Tatooine and since they had to pass by Ben's place anyways Luke figured it couldn't help to take a look. Even if Ben didn't show up, there might be something left there to help them. Most likely the place had been cleared out by Jawas ages ago, but there might be something left behind.

"Ben is Obi-Wan Kenobi," Luke explained figuring they had a long walk ahead of them and he might as well fill Leia in on some family history (even if he couldn't bring himself to tell Leia she was family.) "My father was born a slave here on Tatooine. When he was nine two Jedi and the queen of Naboo, Padme Amidala, got stuck here as they tried to get to Coruscant. The Trade Federation had invaded Naboo and Queen Amidala wanted to plead with the senate herself."

Leia nodded clearly having heard the story before. "She's your mother, correct? I have to admit I was surprised when Mon told me so. I always admired her. How could she end up with someone… well with someone like Vader."

"He wasn't Vader at the time," Luke explained easily. Knowing that Leia admired their mother made him feel a bit better. Maybe she'd take that part of the news easier then. "When they first met she was fourteen and he was a nine year old slave named Anakin. The Jedi Master she was traveling with, Qui-Gon Jinn, needed some parts from the shop my father worked at. They couldn't afford the parts they needed for their ship, but my father convinced them to bet on him in a pod race. If my father won they'd get the parts they needed, but Master Jinn, who recognized my father's Force potential, added in to the bet that if my father won he'd be freed from slavery as well."

Leia, who seemed to have forgotten just who they were talking about, looked horrified. Her features were pinched and angry in the green light of Luke's saber. "But you said he was only nine! Humans can't even podrace normally how was he expected to win."

"He wasn't," Luke admitted. He had to admit that when he'd read Master Jinn's report of the mission he'd been amused by the weight of the odds. "That's why it was so impressive when he did. It was proof that the Force worked within him, and so Master Jinn took my father to Coruscant where he would receive Jedi training."

Leia nodded. They walked for a minute in silence before she finally asked the pressing question, "But how did this Obi-Wan tie into that?"

"Obi-Wan was Master Jinn's apprentice. Master Jinn was killed by a Sith Apprentice, Palpatine's I guess though I never really thought about it. With his dying breath Master Jinn made Obi-Wan promise to train my father even if the council declared him too old."

"But they didn't."

"No, they didn't. Obi-Wan trained my father for a decade. But then the Clone Wars broke out and my parents married in secret, Jedi weren't allowed to form attachments you know. My father was a Knight at this point but he and Obi-Wan continued to fight side by side throughout the war. They were, I don't know, brothers of sorts. I don't really know what happened. My father refused to talk about it. All I know is that my father turned to the Dark Side, he felt my mother betrayed him, and then he killed her. I know there has to be more than the story, because my mother lived long enough to give birth to me without my father knowing, but that is all he'll say. My Mother collapsed at the very least, and Obi-Wan and my father got in a duel on Mustafar. Obi-Wan cut off all my father's limbs and left him to burn in the lava. Obi-Wan then took me and my mother. When she died he brought me here to Tatooine to be with my aunt and uncle away from the Emperor." Suddenly Luke realized the opportunity he'd been given. With shaking breathe he added on, "And he gave my sister to one of my mother's friends to raise."

"Sister? You have a twin sister?"

Luke stopped walking for a moment so he could turn and see Leia properly. She looked a lot like their mom, so much so that Luke wondered how no one had ever made the connection before. Then again Luke hadn't made the connection until his father said the necklace belonged to his, their, mother. "Yes. I have a twin sister. I just found out, and my father does not know, which I think is probably the best thing for her at the moment." _Because that sister is you._

Luke couldn't get the words out. He just couldn't. Sure Leia had listened to his story without comment or judgment but she still hated their father. She had plenty of reason to hate their father! Luke couldn't tell her. He liked to think it was the Force telling him not to, but Luke suspected on some level he was just being selfish. He didn't want her to know. He didn't want her to share his destiny. She had her own role to play in things, and Luke couldn't make her feel the way he did. He couldn't.

"I'm sorry, for everything. I know my father was there when your mother died. He was wrong to help Obi-Wan separate your family. At least you and your sister should have stayed together. Do you have any idea where she is?"

Luke studied Leia for a long time. She looked far more like their mother, but just like Luke there was some of both parents in her. She was far more like their father when it came to temper, that was for sure, though their mother had been known for hers as well when tested. But there was something, righteous maybe, about their mother's anger that Leia seemed to lack. No, no Leia was just angry. Leia just wanted revenge. That, that was their father all the way, and all the more reason she could not know. If she did then their father would find out as well. Leia would be incredibly susceptible to the Dark Side without any training, and Luke knew now that the Dark Side destroyed everything without regret. To Leia he could never do this. "I know where she is, yes. But right now she's safe in her ignorance. After this war is over I'll tell her the truth, and then we can talk to my father together, try to fix things."

Leia bit her lip and turned her head away from Luke. She was nervous about something, but what Luke wasn't sure he wanted to know. He couldn't help, however, from reaching out and grabbing her tense shoulder. "What is it?"

"Luke, you can't imagine both you and your father will survive this," she whispered softly, reaching out to grab Luke's arm and assure him he wasn't alone. "You're a rebel now, not a fake one, but a true rebel. You fought your father, humiliated him, to save a member of Rebel High Command. Within the Empire that's treason. If we lose you'll be executed. If we win… well we're the Alliance to Restore the Republic. We're not going to be able to do that while the royal succession is intact. Besides your father is not going to stop the fight until he's dead, surely you know that."

Luke did, on some level, but hearing Leia's words stung and Luke couldn't help but start to walk away from her. She spoke so callously about killing his father, their father, damn it! There had to be another way. "There is still good in him Leia! I'm finally admitting just how much bad there is, but that doesn't mean the good isn't there too! It's the Emperor who corrupted him. If we can turn him against the Emperor, turn him back to the Light Side, he'll give up power freely."

Leia ran after Luke, pleading with him as she did. "But then he'll be charged with war crimes and executed! Luke, we cannot win without you. Only a Jedi can defeat a Sith, but you have to understand that this story does not have a happy ending. My whole family is dead! He killed them! And I know you love him but I don't, I hate him, and so does everyone else in this galaxy! You need to be prepared to lose everything, because one way or another we all do. That is the price we pay when we try to do the right thing. Heroes don't get happy endings."

They'd reached Obi-Wan's deserted place, and Luke was surprised to find it looked untouched. Obviously the Jawas and Sandpeople knew what once lived there and feared him even in death. Seven years was a long time for something to remain un-scavenged, but it was. Pots and pans, covered in a layer of sand and dust, sat ready to make tonight's dinner. There was even a stockpile of canned food sitting in the corner. When Obi-Wan left to go find Luke all those years ago he never imagined he wouldn't be back. Obi-Wan probably thought it would take a few days, weeks at most. He never suspected he'd end up dead. But he had, because he'd tried to be a hero even if going about it wrong, and Leia was right.

Heroes didn't get happy endings.


	20. Chapter 20

I swear I didn't forget you. Okay, I did, but I remembered, so it doesn't count. Enjoy!

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Chapter 20

Both wrapped up in their respective grief, Luke and Leia found a can of beans each and ate them cold. Neither felt like collecting the wood needed for a fire, and Obi-Wan didn't have any sort of stove. Besides, there is something oddly satisfying about eating cold, distasteful food when you're upset. There are times when you don't want comfort, and food that actually tasted good would be just that.

"We shouldn't stay long, not if we want to get back to the base before they have time to use the Death Star again," Luke finally spoke once his spoon clanged against the bottom of the can.

"We'd be better off getting some rest and leaving in the morning."

Perhaps on any other planet, but not on Tatooine, "The suns make it too hot to travel most of the day. As it is we'll probably have to find someplace to stop and wait out the heat. Damn I wish I had my speeder, or even my Aunt and Uncle's old Skyhopper."

"You miss them, don't you?" Leia asked and the way ducked his head was enough answer. "We could go see them you know. If they're closer than the city we could borrow their speeder, cut down out travel time."

They could, and it would probably help, but Luke couldn't do it. He couldn't go to them and explain what he's done. He couldn't imagine what they would say. Either they'd be horrified and turn Luke in, or they'd be thrilled and admit to never having liked his father. Either option would destroy him. And what if they knew about Leia? What if they told her?

"It wouldn't be safe. They're loyal citizens of the Empire." Or so Luke had to believe. "Why would they risk their lives for a boy they have barely seen in seven years? I couldn't ask them to do it even if they would." And there was the real truth of the matter. Luke didn't want to risk them helping and then lose them as well.

And Leia, as someone who'd lost everyone, understood that. "What do you think your life would be like, if you had never gotten arrested I mean?"

Luke would like to say he'd never thought about it, but of course he had. He'd imagined all the what-ifs over the years. What if his father had never turned to the Dark Side? What if his mother had never died? What if he'd been raised by his father for longer? What if he'd never met his father at all? And now, what if he and Leia hadn't been separated? Luke imagined the what-ifs all the time, but he could never know. He could only guess. "I'd probably be at the Imperial Flight Academy right now," Luke admitted slowly. "It's possible my name would have sent up flags and my father would have found me just later. I don't know how I would have responded, but if I'm being honest probably the same way I did at eleven. When you're raised without a father there is truly nothing you want more. Or maybe I would have gone on ignorant. I wouldn't have stayed with the Empire. Biggs and I always planned on just going to learn how to fly and then deserting to the Alliance 'because X-Wings are better." Luke couldn't help but let out a sarcastic laugh. What a ridiculous reason to commit treason, but really that had always been the plan. "So maybe I would be a Rebel pilot. We could still have met and been friends, or I could have gotten blown up on my first mission. I'd never have been trained in the Force without my father… or maybe I would have been. Maybe Obi-Wan planned on training me and only needed me to get older first. Or maybe I would never have been allowed off the farm at all and I'd be a stupid moisture farmer while my family fought across the galaxy. I have no idea what would have happened, I barely even understand what did."

Leia nodded and pulled her feet up towards her chest. Perhaps in a few hours it would be impossible to travel because of heat, but the desert night was cold without a fire to warm the cave. "I was adopted you know, so I often matter how different things could have been. I know nothing about my birth parents, but I like to pretend. That Japor Snippet, what happened to it?"

"My father broke it," Luke realized feeling terrible. Maybe that was where their luck ended. "I'm sorry."

Leia waved it off, but it clearly bothered her. "It was worthless compared to everything else I have of my mothers. The bracelet for example, its gems are worth more than your family probably makes in a year on Tatooine. So my birthmother had to be wealthy. I always imagined she was a senator like me. It would have made sense because my father admitted to having known her. Most likely she was one of the hundreds who 'mysteriously died' around the time the Delegation of 2000 was forming. So I like to think she'd be proud of me, but she'd probably think I was just a stupid kid. Most people seem to."

Luke knew their mother would never think that, but he could not tell Leia that straight out. "I doubt she would. My mother was queen at 14. I think those destined for responsibility take it on at a young age, because someone has to."

"I was fourteen when I found out my father had been an Alliance leader," Leia admitted. "I wasn't as surprised as I probably should have been, but I decided that very day that I was going to finish what he'd started. I arranged a meeting with Mon and told her what I knew and that I wanted to take my father's place. She was, I don't know, shocked? But she didn't knock me down the way everyone else tried to. She helped me get elected and convinced the other members of the Alliance that I was worth listening to. It took a long time to earn their respect, not just as a teenager but as a woman, but in the end I did it. I know I've done a lot of good, but I still wonder what it would be like if I'd been raised differently, if I wasn't a princess and instead was just normal, you know?"

Yes he did. "Did you have to have etiquette lessons?"

Leia rolled her eyes, "Oh they were terrible! Why does it matter which fork you use? When am I ever going to have to carry something on my head? And don't even get me started with the dancing!"

Luke let out a long laugh. Leia was a good dancer, he remembered that, but dancing had always been his least favorite lesson as well. It seemed as if dancing had only been designed to torture young princes and princesses. "Yeah I much preferred my Jedi training to the prince stuff."

"It's pretty impressive what you can do, I'll tell you that. I'd never seen you fight before but the little I saw of you and your father… it's terrifying. I've always believed in the Force, but I don't know much about how it works."

 _"_ _Perhaps then young Leia, it is time you learned."_

Leia's reaction to ghost Obi-Wan's appearance was the only appropriate reaction to a ghost; she screamed and threw her bean can at him. The can passed through, scaring her even more, but she calmed down a bit upon noticing Luke's unflinching demeanor. "Leia, this is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan, Princess Leia Organa, I believe you knew her parents."

At Luke's forceful last statement Obi-Wan turned to the boy and gave him a very clear look. Luke nodded firmly; yes he did know exactly which of Leia's parents he was referring to.

"Yes," Obi-Wan told Leia slowly. "I did. I apologize for what my wayward apprentice has done to them. I cannot help but feel partially responsible."

Leia nodded her head in thanks, "No one is responsible for his actions but him… Master Kenobi, what did you mean that it is time I learned about the Force?"

Obviously she was not going to be distracted, and Luke didn't mind this. It was better Luke start teaching Leia about the Light Side before she encountered the Dark unprepared. "Leia, the reason some people have a connection to the Force and others don't is because of these tiny organisms called Midichlorians. Everyone has some, but those we call Force Sensitive are those with more than most people. I've known since we first met that you were Force Sensitive. You remember the secret passageways I showed you? They don't work just by thought. They have to be opened by the Force. You could open them because you're Force Sensitive."

Leia stood up and backed away from Luke and Obi-Wan quickly. "You're insane. I'm not a Jedi!"

"No," Obi-Wan admitted. "But you have the ability to become one. Luke will teach you."

"Me!" Luke objected standing himself. How could Obi-Wan promise such a ridiculous thing? Luke wasn't ready to train Leia! He had barely completed his own training, never mind the fact that he'd been a Sith only a few weeks ago. "But I'm no Jedi Master! I'm barely a Jedi. Ahsoka should do it!"

But Obi-Wan dismissed the possibility immediately. "Ahsoka never completed her training, you did. I was not much older than you are when I began teaching your father."

"And look how that turned out!" Luke reminded. His words cut Obi-Wan deep it was obvious, but they were true. Luke was in no place to be teaching Leia. He wouldn't have a clue what to do. "She can go to Degobah and be taught by Master Yoda!"

But once again Obi-Wan shook his head. The ghost looked old and tired, but he seemed determined. "It must be you. Only you understand the struggles she will face. When I began training your father I was convinced that the only way to do things was the way of the Jedi High Council. That conviction is why I failed with your father. You Luke who have never known the ways of the Jedi order are not blinded as I was. You understand that attachments are not harmful in themselves, but only when held onto selfishly. You Luke are the last of the Jedi, and it is your responsibility to start a new order, and you must start with Leia."

"But why me? Surely there are other Force Sensitive people out there?" Leia asked her voice weak. She was terrified, truly terrified, of what being a Jedi might mean, and Luke couldn't blame her. He was terrified too. But this was their family's legacy, and they could not fight it.

"Leia, I knew your parents, your biological parents. Their identities I cannot tell you, but I will tell you this. Your own story is not too different from Luke's. Your father was a Jedi forbidden from being with your mother by a blind High Council. You were born in secret shortly after the Jedi were wiped out, and your mother died at Vader's hands. Bail Organa chose to hide you in plain sight knowing the Empire's arrogance would keep them from seeing the truth. In that chest over there you will find your father's lightsaber. Take it and then decide whether or not you wish for Luke to train you."

While Luke glared dagger's at Obi-Wan for his half-truth's, Leia stood up to check out the chest. Luke could sense her apprehension, but there was a thin thread of joy there too. Finally she would get to have something of her father's, finally she had some connection to the mysterious man who gave her life.

Leia hesitated a moment before taking the blade, but when she did Luke saw a firm determination in her eyes and Luke knew there would be no turning back. She may not know the truth, but she had decided. "Luke, will you train me? There is so much more I can do for the Alliance if I am a Jedi like you, like my father before me. I'm terrified. All my life I've fought with words, not weapons, but violence is the only thing the Empire understands, and this war needs to end."

Yes, it did, but Luke feared what his family would become before it did. "You cannot let yourself be driven by anger ever. Nor by fear. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering. You must let go of all your hate against the Empire, against my father, or you will become just like him. Do you understand?"

"Yes… Master."

"I have a broken swoop bike around back," Obi-Wan informed them. "If you can fix it you'll make it to Mos Eisley in time to leave with the morning freighters."

Luke and Leia nodded before packing their things. Leia went out first, despite not actually having the ability to fix the bike. Luke had to speak with Obi-Wan though, and he was not going to let the Jedi Master get away with this. "Do not ever think you are less manipulative than the Sith," Luke told the old master. He wanted to be angry, he really did, but he could not be. He could not allow himself to fall on that path of darkness again, especially not with Leia relying on him. "I can't tell her now, not with what happened to Alderaan, but she's going to realize just how similar our stories are. I've already told her I have a twin sister."

"Then you must make sure she is prepared to face her anger when that time comes," Obi-Wan answered as if that was just a simple thing to do. "I have watched you grow up Luke, and I have faith you can help so long as you do not let your attachment to your father cloud your judgment. This is a dangerous time for you both, and you must get through it together. You two are our only hope. Without you the galaxy will never be set right."

Luke knew that, and that was why the night seemed far darker than it was. Leia, Leia he could trust the galaxy to, but himself? Luke wasn't sure he trusted himself at all. He'd been fooled for years, what was to stop it from happening again? "And if I fall and take Leia with me?"

"Then there is no hope left, and that, young Luke, is not a prospect I am prepared to face. You must not fail her as I failed you and your father."


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

It took Luke a little while to fix the swoop bike and modify its engine to be strong enough to hold them both. Without a word Luke pulled Leia on behind him, and there was no awkwardness when she wrapped her arms around his waist to hold on. Perhaps she did not know they were siblings the way Luke did, but she was well aware of the fact that they were never to be a couple. It made it easier at least on their journey towards the city, and when the bike's engine finally gave its last breathe they were only a few minutes out of the city.

"No one comes to Mos Eisley unless they're hiding from someone, so keep your hand on the saber. You might not know how to use it but instinct can be a pretty powerful thing when your life depends on it," Luke warned Leia adjusting his own blade for easy access. He'd only been to Mos Eisley a couple times as a kid, and only during the day, but everyone knew its reputation. It was that reputation that would save Luke and Leia, however. They were sure to find someone willing to give them a ride back to the Rebel base, no questions asked, so long as they were paying well, and one thing neither Luke nor Leia lacked was wealth.

Luke couldn't help but keep one arm tight around Leia. He didn't know of course, but he couldn't help but suspect that he was older. That made Leia his little sister, and damn it if he wasn't going to protect his little sister. The night-life of Mos Eisley was a terrifying place even for the young Jedi, but no one approached them. Perhaps Luke had just perfected the air of 'do not mess with me' over the years, or perhaps everyone figured a boy leading around a girl with a ripped dress was not something they wanted to get involved in. Whatever the case they made it to their location, a local cantina, without a problem.

"Why here?" Leia whispered in his ear as Luke pushed open the door. People of all species milled about loud and drunken, but no one paid them any attention as they moved in the door. And that, that answered Leia's question for her. Everyone here had a ship, and no one here cared why Luke and Leia needed one.

Luke's eyes scanned the room for anyone who seemed particularly pilot-y, but soon discovered he didn't have a clue. "Let's go ask the bartender if he knows anyone who might be looking for a few extra credits."

It seemed like a good enough plan, but was soon proven unnecessary. Right as Luke and Leia began to move towards the bar they were distracted by the shocking _crack_ of a table. In the corner of the cantina, a half dozen armed Twi'leks had just sent a human man flying into a table. The man's companion, a Wookie, let out a billowing howl and promptly began blasting the Twi'leks. Chaos quickly descended, and by the time the human stood up and Luke saw his face, it appeared the whole cantina had decided to side with the Twi'leks.

"When I jump I want you to turn on your saber and look intimidating," Luke billowed to Leia over the noise, and, without even explaining more, he Force-jumped over a couple tables and found himself right in the heat of the battle, blade out.

There was a resounding chorus of 'what the kriff', but the Twi'leks didn't stop shooting at the man. Luke dodged in front of him, carefully deflecting the blasts back towards the Twi'lek's legs. "Now my friend and I," Luke called out nodding his head to Leia, who had, in fact, managed to look pretty intimidating. "Are going to take this gentleman and his Wookie from this place, and if anyone of you outstanding citizens plans on stopping us, well, you're welcome to try."

No one made a move, and Luke shut his blade before motioning for Leia to do the same. Even once the lightsabers were off no one made a move towards them, so Luke began walking out and Leia and the others followed behind.

Once Luke got out into the street, Leia punched his arm. "You don't get to do that. I get it, you're the master and all, but we're supposed to agree before doing stupid things! Now we're going to have the Empire breathing down our necks because there are Jedi on Tatooine!"

"Relax," Luke told her smiling when he noticed that his two 'new' friends had followed. "They're our way off this rock."

Leia's eyes widened, "Do you know them?"

Luke didn't answer, instead he turned to the man. "So, Han, you realize there is no point in giving someone a Comlink number if you're just going to change the number."

"You listen here kid," Han replied clearly not having recognized Luke at all. It only made sense. Seven years is a long time, and Han, while having aged, certainly hadn't changed as much as Luke had. After all Luke had only been eleven. "We're grateful for you saving our asses back their but we didn't need… Wait, how do you know my name?"

Chewbacca let out a wail that Luke didn't understand, but clearly the Wookie didn't recognize him either. Luke couldn't help but grin. Oh this was going to be fun. "Han, it's me, Luke Skywalker."

"Yeah right," Han snorted. "That's not going to work on me kid because guess what, I know Vader's kid. He's 'bout this tall and a lot younger than you."

Luke couldn't help but laugh aloud at Han's ridiculous words. Did Han forget that time passed for other people even after you stop seeing them? "Han, that was seven years ago, I've grown, but it really is me. You gave me your Comlink years ago in case I ever wanted to run away from my father. I called it once you know, my dad and I got in a fight and I called it, but I didn't get a response. The number had been changed; do you not still have the Falcon?"

Han blinked a little bit before clearly recognizing that the only way Luke could know that was if he really was Luke. "Kriff kid it is you," Han muttered his smile growing. "You've gotten, well not tall, but taller. What are you doing back on this dustball?" Han's face grew darker. "Your father's not around, is he?"

"No, my father has no idea where I am," Luke admitted wishing it didn't have to be true. "You were right about my father. There's a darkness in him that I have to fight. He's built a weapon, they call it the Death Star, and it can blow up a whole planet in one shot. He's already done it to Alderaan."

Han stared at Luke clearly trying to process how anyone, even Darth Vader, could just blow up an entire planet. "So you ran away, good for you. Are you looking for work, is that it? Who's the girl?"

"Oh," Luke remembered. "This is Princess Leia Organa, of Alderaan. I rescued her from my father's ship before leaving, but our escape pod only brought us here. We need to get back to the Alliance so we can destroy the Death Star before it's used again. Can you give us a ride?"

Chewbacca voiced his opinion at this point, but Han clearly disagreed with whatever the Wookie was saying. "Come on, the kid just saved our asses, it's the least I can do. Besides I did promise to help him get away from his father if he needed it."

Chewie let out another cry, and Han nodded before turning back to Luke and Leia. "Look, I'd love to help, but I'm in a bit of a spot. Don't really have the kind of money for fuel I'd need to get you two where you have to go."

"We have money," Luke assured the smuggler. "Not only will I reimburse your fuel but I'll make sure you get enough that you won't have to go to the Hutts for a job any time soon.

Han looked tempted, but Chewie, who had only met Luke on one occasion, was far more reserved. Luke didn't speak Wookie, but he could tell the large creature was unhappy.

"Chewie is worried that your father will have cut you off and that all her money was on the planet when it exploded," Han translated. "But I don't think your father is the type to remember to cut you off and a Princess, well she's going to have to have money somewhere. Even if you can't… I never felt right leaving you behind."

Luke knew that very well, but he was glad Han hadn't. What would Luke have done on his own at 11? Han and Chewie seemed nice, but they wouldn't have kept Luke all these years surely. No, he was best off where he was. "Things happen as the Force wills it. Now we need to get to this base ASAP."

"We can leave right away," Han assured him with a nod. "We probably should too. That little display in there will have attracted a lot of bucket heads our way. Come on the Falcon is this way."

Han and Chewie led the way, and Luke followed behind, Leia close by his side, "How do you know this scoundrel?"

"Scoundrel?" Luke laughed glad to tease his sister. (Even if she didn't know they were siblings.) "My dear young padawan do you have a crush on this scoundrel?"

Leia glared at him, "I might not know much, but I know that stabbing you with the end of my lightsaber will probably hurt."

"Ouch," Luke laughed trying to hold in his laugh. "And yeah, I know Han. He's a good guy. When I first moved in with my father, before I started training, Han was my bodyguard. We knew Obi-Wan was coming back to take me from my father again, and it was Han's job to stop that from happening. He did, so my father rewarded him, and Han went on his way."

Leia's demeanor drew cold, "So you don't really know him at all. You were just a kid, and you haven't seen him since. For all you know he could be an Imperial Bounty Hunter and bring us straight back to your dad."

Okay, Luke would admit to having never even considered the possibility, but he just couldn't see it. "I trust Han, and I think, if you stretch out with the Force, you will too."

"The Force, how am I supposed to know what the Force is telling me when yesterday I didn't even know that I could sense the Force at all?"

Luke let his hand rest on her back and they both stopped walking for a second. He turned to face her, to show her that he was there and not going anywhere. "I'm going to teach you. I know it's been a lot, and I know you really had time to process what happened to Alderaan, but Leia, I love you like a sister, and we're connected by the Force, we have been since we met. This was always meant to happen. I think I was always meant to teach you."

"You didn't sound this sure when Obi-Wan first said so," Leia teased a gentle smile at the corner of her lips.

Luke's smile was much larger, "Obi-Wan angers me, it's something I'm working on. Now come on we need to get to the ship."

Luke found it slightly amusing that the Falcon hadn't changed at all over the years. In many ways Luke suspected the ship had been the same for decades, and would remain so for decades more. Machinery wasn't as finite as people, one more reason why Luke loved it.

Leia gave Han the base coordinates with only slight hesitation, and then came back to Luke fuming. Luke hadn't heard whatever Han said, but he couldn't help but smile. Maybe Han was a little old for Leia, but then Leia wasn't the normal 18-year-old. For that matter Han wasn't the normal 28-year-old, so their maturity levels probably matched, maybe Han's was a little bit lower, but not too much. So if they wanted to have something there, well Luke wasn't going to fight it. Just don't let their father find out. He might not know Leia was his daughter, but the moment he found out Han would be in for it.

"Have you ever meditated before?" Luke asked. She shook her head, but sat down on the floor to match Luke's style. "The Force surrounds us and everything. All you need to do is let go and let it in. Close your eyes, reach out with your feelings and see what you can sense."

Luke focused on Leia's presence to see how she was doing, and found her struggling far more than he ever did. There was definitely a reason the old order preferred to train kids, but Luke would have to deal with what he had. "Leia, no offense, but you're a control freak. You need to let go of the walls you've erected around yourself and just reach out. Try sensing me. Focus your thoughts, your emotions, everything on me, and then just let go.

Luke waited one second, then two, and nothing happened. He was about to change his approach when he felt a burst of energy and emotion come flowing from Leia. He quickly grabbed on to it, and weaved his own energy back to her trying to open a training bond. When he did so, however, the bond exploded and Luke felt a flood of memories, emotions, and fears that weren't his at all. Everything Leia had felt or thought during her whole life crashed towards Luke, and from the way she jumped backwards, his own feelings had come to her.

"I'm sorry," Luke told her jumping to his feet to steady her. "I should have known better than to try that. We were already connected, trying to create a training bond just widened the one we had before."

Leia nodded, but Luke noticed her fingers on her temples. "I saw things, about your life. I think I understand why you love your father."

"Don't say that Leia, please. It gives me too much hope and I'm already afraid I'm not going to be able to do what needs to be done."

"I know," Leia admitted. "I sensed that as well… Luke, why when you think of your twin do I see my own face?"

Damn it. Luke knew she was beginning to question thing and that he really needed to tell her, but he could also understand why Obi-Wan had been so manipulative with his words. It was hard to shatter someone's life with such a simple word. "Like I said, you remind me of her. I don't know her, not like I know you, but I think I feel for you like I feel for her. That's all."

Leia wasn't as strong in the Force as Luke, he knew that, but her connection was obvious just from how easily she sensed that Luke wasn't giving the full story. But she trusted him, perhaps more than she should, and she gave it up without a fight. "Is there something else we can try? Maybe something more physical? If I'm going to have a lightsaber I want to know how to use it."

Luke nodded wishing he had a training droid. There was one with his things before he got arrested, but he had no idea what had happened to it while he was being held. He'd just have to make do. "I'm going to throw things at you and you need to try and hit them, okay."

Leia nodded clearly thinking it would be easy. The second Luke started picking up random pieces of trash and throwing them at her, however, she found that deflecting with a lightsaber was far more difficult than it looked. Quickly Luke felt her frustration rising, and he realized that for the second time in one training session he was just making things worse. How could Obi-Wan possibly think he was qualified for this?

"Will you stop hitting me!" Leia hissed, and Han came in at that very moment to see a can hit her right in the face. The pilot laughed, and Leia turned her face bright with embarrassment and fury. "I don't see what's so funny. I doubt you could do it."

"Well neither can you princess," Han countered, a smirk bright across his lips. "I never believed in the Force, but then I met the kid and saw a lot of crazy things in a very short period of time, so I think yeah, maybe the Force is out there. But Luke's special, and obviously you're not."

"I'll have you know…" Leia exploded, and Luke reached forward to grab her shoulder before she turned her blade on their generous pilot.

"Leia," he chastised gently. "Don't just get angry, prove him wrong." Luke spied a dirty pilot's helmet in the corner. "Put this on."

"But I won't be able to see," Leia objected clearly thinking she'd gotten stuck with a crazy person for a master. "It will just make it worse."

Perhaps, but Luke had a good feeling. This was a trick his father had made Luke use, and Luke suspected it was Obi-Wan who'd done the same thing to his father back in the day. "You're overthinking, trust the Force."

It was hard to tell which Skywalker twin was more anxious as Luke gathered new things to throw. Leia was terrified she'd fail and it would be proof that she wasn't fit to be a Jedi. Luke was terrified she'd fail and it would only prove he was unfit to be a Master. But when Luke threw the first can it didn't crash into Leia's leg; instead she swung her blade down, shifting her body to get a more balanced stance, and can straight in half. Han let out a laugh of 'beginner's luck', but, suddenly confident, Luke sped up the speed at which he threw things. Leia got them all.

"You're not ready to take on the Emperor yet," Luke congratulated her with a hug. "But I think you can hold your own against stormtroopers. They never shoot straight anyways because their masks are horribly designed."

"Thank you Luke. You're a good teacher and a wonderful Jedi."

It was a nice thought, but Luke still felt like him failing Leia was inevitable. After all, their relationship was based on her not knowing the truth, much the way all the relationships Luke had formed in the Alliance originally were… and he knew how those ended.

Chewbacca called something from the cockpit. "We're approaching Rebel airspace," Han translated. "You should probably go talk to them Princess so we can land without getting blown up."

"You'll also need to convince them not to arrest me on sight," Luke reminded. "Because I need to be allowed to help plan this attack. I helped build the Death Star, and now we're going to destroy it."


	22. Chapter 22

Have I done something wrong? Reviews have been down the last couple days, and I just want to know if there is a problem so I can fix it. Enjoy!

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Chapter 22

Despite Leia's words, when they disembarked from the Falcon a dozen Rebel soldiers trained guns on Luke. Sighing to himself, but understanding completely, Luke carefully unclipped his lightsaber, handed it over to Leia and placed his hands on his head. "Feel free to place binders on me, but you can't lock me up. I'm the only one who knows how the Death Star works, and I need to be allowed to help you plan unless we want another planet to end up like Alderaan."

"There really is no need," Leia chimed in. "He fought his father to save me. He's as much a traitor to the Empire as we are."

Luke felt everyone relax a bit at her words, but they still placed binders on Luke's wrists. They led him into the planning room, however, which was all Luke really cared about.

It appeared that this was going to be a closed meeting, for only Mothma, Ahsoka, and a few other commanders were there. They led Luke and Leia in, and Han and Chewie followed, clearly unsure what else to do. Mothma looked over Luke the moment he walked in, and then nodded for the guards to leave. "That was a very foolish thing for you to do… and a very brave one. I trust I do not need to get a key to those binders?"

Luke had them off within seconds.

"Good. Now, reports say that the Death Star is on its way to Lothal, any idea why?"

Lothal? Tie fighters were made on Lothal and no Alliance leader came from there. Why would his father be targeting that unless… "Leia, did my father order the destruction of Alderaan, or did Tarkin? Is my father even stationed there or was he only there for you?"

"Well he didn't tell Tarkin to stand down, but no I think its Tarkin's base. Why?"

Well that made a lot more sense, and gave Luke hope for his father. He'd been thinking that the Death Star wasn't his father's style, but it was Tarkin's. "The Lothal Rebels have been Tarkin's biggest disgrace. Even if they're no longer there destroying the planet they come from will make him look good. We need to act quickly to stop it."

"What can you tell us about its weaknesses?"

Luke didn't really know actually, but Leia still had the plans to the death star. Apparently Luke's father hadn't had the nerve to pat down a princess properly.

"It looks like a well aimed shot in that hole will blow the whole thing up," Mothma outlined. "If we get enough pilots out there we can get something in. Especially if you're one of them Luke."

Luke began to nod in agreement, but then he realized what he would be agreeing to. "Wait. We can't just blow it up!"

"Luke it was the Death Star that destroyed Alderaan, I thought you wanted this!" Leia cried clearly thinking she'd been fooled.

"I do," Luke assured her his eyes filled with sympathy. He knew from their bond how much Alderaan's destruction was hurting her, but she was remaining strong. He would help her in that however he could. "But we can't just go and blow it up. Over a million people work on the Death Star, scientists, engineers, good people. Perhaps they have decided to work for a corrupted government, but they're just doing what they think is right. They didn't get a say in whether or not Alderaan was destroyed. Most likely they didn't even know what they were building. I didn't when I cut production time down by a year."

The commanders, the ones who didn't know Luke, were looking at him like he was a traitor. And perhaps he was, to both the Empire and the Alliance, but just blowing up a million people in response to the destruction of Alderaan just seemed horrible.

"What then do you suggest?" Mothma finally asked. Clearly she wasn't convinced that they actually had other options, but she hadn't dismissed Luke's words yet. "Because I do not want the blood of a million people on my head if it can be avoided."

Neither did Luke. He had enough blood on his hands. "Give them a chance to know that the Death Star does and leave. The Officers should pay, but not the civilians, not the drafted troopers who had no choice."

"How are we supposed to do that? They'll never believe we could actually take the station down, and even if the people do the officers are not just going to allow them to desert," Leia pointed out.

Okay, well Luke hadn't exactly thought of that. So he needed a plan. He didn't have time to think of a plan but he needed one. "I doubt my father has let word spread of my betrayal. If I can get on the Death Star I'll take out the weapons. Then you can board the ship and take control. That way those who are innocent can return to their homes, and the officers can not only face justice, but they can have a trial first. Once everyone is off the Death Star then we blow it up. This way the weapon is gone and the Alliance receives public favor for appearing not only fair but merciful."

"Luke, that sounds like a wonderful plan, but it's idealistic. The number of people who will die trying to take control of the base is far higher than if we just blow it up," Leia pointed out giving Luke the look his father did whenever he thought Luke was being a naïve child.

But Luke was neither naïve nor a child, not anymore. "With all due respect, the Alliance does not have 1 million men to infiltrate the Death Star. If we did the war would have been over a long time ago. Yes the Alliance has greater risk, but we signed up for that risk. A lot of the people on the Death Star didn't. Isn't this the Alliance to Restore the Republic? Don't we act as if we are the old republic, and treat the rest of the galaxy as if they are Republic citizens? Well then the civilians on the Death Star are Republic citizens and they have certain rights. Are a million lives not worth the risk? If you can't do it for them do it for yourselves. You destroy the Death Star then the families and friends of everyone on that base turn against you. If you let their loved ones go then you've just won the favor of a lot of people."

Mothma and Leia seemed to be having a conversation with their eyes, but in the end Mothma nodded. "Very well. How many do you want in your initial strike team to take the bridge?"

"Small is better. I need Ahsoka and a half dozen others, make sure they're volunteers," Luke easily responded just thrilled that they were actually going through with this. "Ahsoka, there are secret passages you'll need to use the Force to open, but then you can lead the strike team through them straight to the bridge. Once you're there wait for my signal and we'll take over. Once we have the bridge we'll have the officers, and everyone else can leave. Once those who are willing to leave we'll escort the officers back here for trial and blow up the base. I'll even set the charge when I disable the weapons in case we fail, but I'm only going to give Leia the code. I'm sorry Mothma, but I cannot communicate you with the Force." And Luke trusted Leia more than anyone.

"And you can communicate with Leia?" Mothma didn't seem angry so much as surprised which, given the circumstances, made sense.

But Luke's words had made sense to Ahsoka who replied, "Yes, Leia is Force Sensitive. I noticed the first time we met, but it's safer in this galaxy to be ignorant of things like that."

"That's not a decision you should gave made," Leia curtly replied, but she pulled out her own saber for them to see. "When we crashed on Tatooine we were visited by the ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi. He told me he knew who my biological parents were and that my father was a Jedi. Luke agreed to train me as one as well. I even have my father's old lightsaber."

"But that saber belonged to…" Ahsoka began, but Luke quickly cut her off with his eyes. "Oh. I'm sorry Leia but I think Master Kenobi was right not to tell you your father's name quite yet."

Leia seemed annoyed that yet another person knew more than she did, but she just gritted her teeth. "Tell me this, was he a good man?"

"The very best," Ahsoka replied, her voice sad, and Luke wondered which of his father's atrocities Ahsoka was thinking of. Clearly he wasn't such a good man anymore. "When do we leave?"

Luke looked towards Mothma who, after a moment of silence, nodded. "We don't have much time if we're to get to Lothal before they go. Commander Tano, assemble your strike team. Commander Antilles, make sure all the flight teams are ready to make runs. If this doesn't work we're going to just have to hope we can get something into that exhaust shaft. Good luck, and may the Force be with you."

"So what are Chewie and I supposed to do," Han asked coming up behind Luke. If the teen wanted to admit it he'd completely forgotten they were even there. "Because we can't leave until we get our fuel money."

It sounded so horrible, but Luke could tell Han was more looking for a reason to stay than anything. He felt the need to help the stupid kid he'd protected all those years ago, and what sane person wanted the Death Star out there?

"Stay here and protect Leia," Luke quietly told him making sure his sister did not hear (because she would freak). If I… fail I need you to take her to Degobah and stay with her there. Master Yoda will train her and she can finish this."

Han nodded and squeezed Luke's shoulder, "You're not a kid anymore, but I'm still going to call you one."

Luke couldn't help but smile. He wouldn't want it any other way.

As their shuttle approached the Death Star, Luke couldn't help but think of Leia's parting words. Just as he'd been loading up, Luke had stopped to give her the bomb code, their birthday, and made her promise to go to Degobah and finish her training even if he failed. She'd agreed, but not before saying, 'it won't matter if I can defeat the Emperor. If this Death Star exists for much longer half the republic won't still be alive."

The price was high. Luke had been very confident about his plan being the one that saved lives, but what if he did fail? What if he'd underestimated his father and they did know he'd deserted? If he never got a chance to place the bomb it was quite possible the X-Wings wouldn't get the shot. What then? How many more planets would be destroyed because Luke felt the need to save the civilians on the Death Star? How much better would it have been if he could just see them as evil Imps who had to be destroyed?

It made Luke think of the what-ifs he and Leia had been speaking of. What if this had never been his life at all and Luke was just a stupid moisture farmer? Who would have stepped up then? Surely someone, but at the same time maybe not. Luke couldn't deny that he was important. He was in a situation no one else ever was, and that made the what-ifs terrifying.

"Your father's not onboard," Ahsoka told Luke as they dropped out of hyperspace next to the Death Star. Luke had sensed the same thing and he couldn't help but be happy. Not only was the idea of delaying the confrontation a lovely possibility, but this meant Luke's father wouldn't be arrested and executed for war crimes. It was a selfish thought considering Luke should want justice, but he couldn't stand the idea of his father being executed. Despite everything he was still Luke's father, and there was still good in him. Luke just needed to bring it out.

"I hope I know what I'm doing," Luke muttered to himself, and Ahsoka offered no reassuring smile. They all had to hope Luke knew what they were doing, or they were all walking into a trap. "Entering clearance codes now."

For a long second the whole shuttle sat in silence, but the clearance went through. It appeared no one knew what Vader's son was really doing, and the shuttle docked in a mostly empty hanger. A few well aimed blasts from the strike team and they had a clear path to the Force passageways. Luke watched them disappear into the walls, and then made his own way deeper into the station towards where the weapons arrow would be housed.

More than once Luke was stopped, but each time he gave his true identity and was cleared. No one on the base seemed to have a clue that he wasn't supposed to be there, and simply because no one wanted to ask too many questions about anything relating to Lord Vader.

Luke found the weapons array just as it was charging. Swiftly he disabled it using his father's override code (another thing that should have been changed, but wasn't). Luke was about to walk away before deciding that it was better to be safe than sorry. It was unlikely that Tarkin's personal codes would have the ability to override Vader's, but it was the kind of sick twist one could expect from the Emperor. One thing Tarkin could not easily override, however, was a lightsaber's destruction.

Luke had to admit that he wasn't particularly Jedi-like while destroying the main weapon. All he could think about where all the legitimate reasons he had to be angry: Alderaan, the kidnapping, the separation, his mother's death, his father's fall, Luke's confusion, all the lies, all the death. Luke was angry! His whole life had been one mess after another, and all because of the games people played. He had never been truly in control. Someone was always pulling on his strings like a puppet, and Luke was angry. He had been lied to and manipulated by everyone who should have been helping him-Obi-Wan, the Emperor, his father-they should have helped Luke, but they never did. They just all tried to play Luke against the others for their own benefit and damn it he was angry.

Smoke billowed out of the wrecked machinery setting off alarms, and Luke figured it was time to disappear. Ahsoka and her team were probably waiting for him on the bridge. They had time now that the weapon was destroyed, but the sooner this was over the better. For one Luke hadn't slept in at least a day, he didn't really even know how long. Moreover, however, Luke just wanted it to be done. He'd joined the Alliance because he wanted the Death Star destroyed. Once it was… well Luke would be free. Of course he still had a responsibility to his sister and the galaxy, but he'd be free. (Yes, even Luke knew that made no sense at all.)

Carefully Luke placed the bomb, but he doubted Leia would need it. The weapon was very, very, very destroyed. It would take months for them to fix it, and if the rebels couldn't take over the Death Star in a month… well then they had bigger issues.

And then it was simply a matter of walking onto the bridge and using his father's override codes to lock it. No one but the Emperor was getting through that door; Luke was sure of that.

It was mid-morning over Lothal, and so every officer except whoever had been on the night shift was on the bridge. Grand Moff Tarkin turned when Luke entered, and a sick sort of grin spread across the governor's face. Luke couldn't even bring himself to fake any sort of cordiality in return, not knowing what the man had done to Alderaan. "Young Skywalker, I heard a rumor you were onboard. To what do I owe the pleasure? Last I heard you were in the custody of the Rebels."

Luke felt Ahsoka and her people shifting into position, and so he stalled Tarkin for a moment longer. "I have come to give you the location of the Rebel base where I was held, you are to use this base to destroy them."

Tarkin's grin grew wider than the galaxy itself, "It will be my pleasure to enact such a revenge for you. Which planet?"

"Eriadu," Luke answered simply, and the governor's smile suddenly wasn't so wide at the prospect of having to destroy his own planet. "And the Emperor has ordered that you are not to warn your family as doing so might alert the Rebels."

"You're not serious."

"You're right, I'm not," Luke admitted lighting his saber. As he did so Ahsoka and the other Rebels exploded from their hiding places, sabers and blasters trained on their surprised targets. One Captain had the sense to reach for his own blaster, but Luke noticed and jerked his, and everyone else's, weapons from their hands. "Grand Moff Tarkin, I am sorry to inform you that you are being removed from your position here on the Death Star. You and the other officers of this weapon are to be transferred to an Alliance base where you will face trial at the hands of a jury hand-picked by the Sovereign Prince of the Empire."

Tarkin's fury raged, and he moved to attack Luke. The teen carefully placed his saber between then, stopping the governor in his tracks. "You can't do this," Tarkin spit, literally, at Luke. "It isn't lawful. You're a rebel and a traitor!"

"I am still the lawful heir to this Empire. Until that status is formally rescinded I do, in fact, have this power by the laws of the Empire. Now if you would like to claim yourself a citizen of the Republic that is fine as well. I will step back and let High Command do their job. It's up to you but one way or another you are facing trial for war crimes, and possibly treason from the way you're speaking to me."

Tarkin was aghast, and Ahsoka's strike team moved in to place binders on the surprised man. A few of the other officers looked like they were considering fist fights, but Luke pointed out that their cooperation in the arrest would be noted during their trials, and he found them most benevolent.

Taking control of the Coms system, Luke messaged High Command that they had succeeded in their directive and requested prison transports for the officers. Once Leia assured him it would be done Luke changed the channel to speak to all those on the ship, "Residents of the Death Star. My name is Luke Skywalker, son of Lord Darth Vader and heir to the Empire. Yesterday Grand Moff Tarkin decided to test this battle station on Alderaan. He had no right to do so. He and the other officers of this ship are to face trial for their crimes, but you I am giving clemency. I do not doubt that each and every one of you contributed to the genocide of the Alderaanian people, but I did as well. You are being offered clemency because I believe that most of you would not have made the same choice Moff Tarkin did. I know some of you may have, and to those of you with hatred in your heart I offer my pity, but the Force is with you and today you will get away with hatred. Do not expect it to happen again. You have 24 hours to evacuate this ship and return home. 24 hours from now a bomb planted on this base will be detonated, and anyone left aboard will be destroyed along with this atrocity. I urge you all to leave, return to your families and live normal, civilian lives. Those of you who cannot, I urge you to question whether or not you would have received this clemency from any other Imperial power. I welcome all of you to my side if you should decide that you prefer my way over that of Palpatine. He is a Sith Lord. I am a Jedi, and today I have taken control of the Death Star without bloodshed. Do not be the person who makes that statement untrue, and may the Force be with you all."


	23. Chapter 23

This chapter was never going to exist, but then the thought crossed my mind and I found it so fascinating I couldn't help. If you don't like political stuff, well then I'm sorry, but to me this is fascinating. Also this story is officially completely written with 33 chapters, so that means another 10 days worth of updates and we're done. It's hard to believe. Review system is broken again so see the bottom for reviews.

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Chapter 23

Grand Moff Tarkin's trial began the same time the Death Star exploded, in a very different sector of the galaxy. He'd denied the offer of representation, clearly thinking the whole trial was a farce anyways. He couldn't, however, have been more wrong. The Death Star Evacuees had flown back to their respective planets sharing Luke's message with a frenzy, and the whole Empire had waited patiently for the Emperor to disavow Luke therefore making the whole thing a criminal act. But the Emperor had given no statement, and so the Holonet was beginning to wonder if, in fact, Luke was acting on direct orders from the Emperor himself. No one knew what was going on, but the Alliance did not care. Luke was playing a legal battle few understood, but it sounded impressive, and the idea of them being able to legally execute Tarkin of all people was a gift above all others.

Luke's 'appointed jury' were, in fact, Alliance High Command. The other Imperial officers had argued that they were in no shape or form an impartial jury, but in the end it was Tarkin who had pointed out that there was no legal precedent for a jury being impartial within the Empire and that the High Command, as military and political leaders, were at least as close to their 'peers' as anyone could possibly get.

And so the trial began. Tarkin was being tried separately from the other officers, and High Command had decided to make it as big a spectacle as possible. Within their underground base they found the biggest room and crammed in as many cameras and onlookers as physically possible. Luke was to be the prosecutor and the prosecution, so his place was a tall podium in the front. From outside the room Luke could see his place and the crowds gathered, and he felt a little bit nauseous. He'd sounded cool calm and collected the day before on the Death Star, but that was different. That was a legal play on words Luke had once seen in a HoloDrama and then had explained to him by Leah. Now he was just trying to remember the legality of it himself, and Leia's coaching was going in one ear and out the other.

"Luke, are you listening to me?" she cried shaking his shoulders to get his attention. When the fog in his eyes cleared up Leia continued, "Luke, the Emperor has not rescinded your claim to the throne, and so this is only legal so long as you're acting as his designee. You need to word things perfectly."

Luke knew that, but he also knew he had not had any luck memorizing the wording Leia and Mothma had given him the night before. He was more-or-less walking in there with only the understanding that he was still the prince of the Empire, and therefore the law itself. With that knowledge in his pocket he was just going to run and hope there were no overhangs to knock his head off.

"Luke, are you sure you want to do this? Everyone is going to know you're working with the Rebel Alliance even if you're doing this in the name of the Emperor," Leia reminded him the concern obvious in her voice. "The second the Emperor denounces you this will turn against you."

Luke knew that. He might not know the legal mumbo-jumbo that he was playing with, but he knew the stakes. And he also knew the Sith, "Leia, if Palpatine hasn't disinherited me yet he's not going to, not over this. Yes I've turned against him, but that is the Sith way. He probably still thinks I'm just a wayward apprentice who he's going to have to teach a hard lesson the next time he sees me. He doesn't understand the concept of a moral core. He's spent seven years including me in his plan; he's not going to give up until he wins and I've turned. Besides, if there is one thing he hates more than Rebels it's failure. Tarkin got the Death Star destroyed. He failed. Palpatine isn't about to risk his authority by pardoning Tarkin's failure to get to me. He's going to make him an example, and scare people into thinking I'm working for him. My doing this makes him look stronger and better."

"Then is it the right thing to do?"

Luke didn't know, but he knew it was what they were doing. The whole galaxy was waiting in expectation; they couldn't just back down without destroying the Alliance's reputation of strength forever.

A guard called for Luke to enter, and he gave Leia a tight hug. The hug lasted only for a second, but gave Luke the strength he needed to do what he had to. Well, the hug and the smile on Leia's face as she straightened out his borrowed jacket gave him the strength.

Luke walked up to the podium and faced Tarkin. The man was dressed in his officer uniform, but there was a shadow of hair lining his sharp features that made him look both shabby and frightening. And the look he gave Luke… well it wasn't hard to believe that Tarkin currently wished he could use all the Death Star's power on Luke alone. "I Luke Skywalker, son of Lord Darth Vader and Padme Amidala Skywalker, Heir to the Galactic Empire, solemnly swear to tell only the truth, and may the Force strike me down should I not," Luke declared before turning to Tarkin and letting the man recite his own oath. Luke couldn't help but wish Tarkin would lie and be struck down by the Force, but justice would have to do.

"Wilhuff Tarkin, do you recognize the Galactic Republic as outlined by its Constitution to be the legal authority of this galaxy?" Luke began trying to focus on his words and not the _pound-pound-pound_ of the heart in his chest.

Tarkin stood at the defense table, and sneered, "Of course not. The Republic is gone and those who still cling to its feeble beliefs are rebels and traitors."

"So you recognize the Galactic Empire as headed by Emperor Sheev Palpatine to be the legal authority in this galaxy?" Luke quickly responded. He needed to trick Tarkin into recognizing his authority before they could get anywhere, and Luke hoped putting him on the spot would do the trick.

And it did. "Of course. You may play your games of legality but you will always just be traitors to the Empire."

"I believe you are misinformed Governor," Luke replied, trying to keep the winning smile from his face. Perhaps he'd never enjoyed politics, but even he couldn't help but enjoy beating Tarkin. "I am Luke Skywalker, the recognized Prince and Heir to the Empire, so there is nothing illegal about this. Perhaps you were under the impression that I had been disavowed. I have not been. I believe this says a great bit about which of us is still in the Emperor's favor, does it not?"

Tarkin let out a few choice words Luke would have been surprised to hear in a Tatooine Cantina, and he had the attendant mark them down as more evidence of treason. "If you are done with the obscenities. Governor Tarkin, you are accused of treason and the genocide of the Alderaanian people. You used Imperial resources to carry out an unauthorized attack on the Imperial citizens of Alderaan. You are to be tried by a jury selected by myself. You have chosen to deny the offer of legal representation. What do you have to say in your own defense?"

"This is a farce! A scandal! This child has no true authority. He is a rebel and a traitor, not some prince!"

"My sovereignty is not the question here. Imperial Declaration 2187 formerly outlined Lord Darth Vader as the Imperial Heir, and section FN of that specifically recognized me as Lord Vader's legitimate and lawful son and heir. That status has not been rescinded. You have been offered an opportunity to prove you were working under the authority of the Emperor. State your case or this trial will move to jury."

"Very well," Tarkin sneered. "It appears you are uninformed. I did have Imperial authority to use the weapon. The Emperor ordered me to test it and I did, on Alderaan."

Luke thought quickly, "Did the Emperor explicitly order you to test it on his citizens of Alderaan? Could he not have simply meant find an uninhabited moon to test it on?"

"The Death Star was a project designed by the Emperor to bring this galaxy to its knees in obedience! It was designed to be used on populated planets!"

"But were you ordered to use it on Alderaan!"

Luke had clearly pushed the Moff too far, because he had to be grabbed by two guards as he screamed, "No, but Lord Vader, Prince Vader by your reasoning, was standing right there when I gave the order. If that is not sanctioned nothing is!"

Luke let out a sigh of relief. Tarkin had fallen right into their trap. Truly it was too easy. "The court now recognizes Leia Organa, of the most Elder House Organa, Princess of Alderaan."

Leia came out and stood before the cameras looking as noble and regal as ever. Her hair was pulled back into a fancy braid, and her dress, black for mourning, hung in stark comparison to the white of Luke's own outfit. "Princess Organa, do you swear by the Force and on the honor of your House to tell only the truth?"

"I do."

Luke didn't know much about the legality of the Elder Houses, but he wondered if the adoption made her not truly bound by the rules of the Elder Houses. "Princess Organa, you were not on Alderaan at the time of its destruction because you were being held prisoner on the Death Star, is that correct?"

"It is."

"She's a Rebel traitor, her word counts for nothing."

Luke turned to glare at Tarkin. "She is not on trial here, you are, so I would suggest not speaking out of turn again." He then turned back to Leia. "Was my father, Lord Vader, on the Death Star when Alderaan was destroyed?"

"Yes," Leia answered simply.

"And did my father give the order for the destruction of Alderaan? Or did Moff Tarkin give the order and my father simply not override it?"

"Moff Tarkin gave the order while Lord Vader remained silent," Leia testified. Luke could tell she hated absolving Vader of the crime, but they needed to if they wanted to get Tarkin, and she had sworn to tell the truth.

"Thank you Princess, you may be seated," Luke told her before turning back to Tarkin. "So you gave the order without prompting. It was your decision to misuse Imperial property to carry out your own objectives."

Tarkin fumed, "This is ridiculous, preposterous. Lord Vader was there! If the Emperor or the prince didn't want me to carry out the test on Alderaan I would not have, but there were no orders against it."

"And there were no orders for it," Luke concluded. "How could my father have known you did not have orders from the Emperor himself? Is he expected to know every minute factoid? No. He most likely assumed you had been given the order to destroy Alderaan from the Emperor and did not wish to challenge his sovereign leader. But you had not been given any order, and acted of your own accord. You committed genocide against the Imperial citizens of Alderaan while using Imperial property for your own gains. That is murder and treason, and I think the comments the jury have witnessed made against me, your sovereign prince, are more proof of your treason. Do you have any final things to say before this case is turned over to our jury?"

"Nothing I say will make a difference," Tarkin spit. "So I will say it all. This is a farce. It was the Emperor who wanted Alderaan destroyed, not me. This child claims to have legal authority he does not. I was brought here today to be humiliated by Rebels before being executed for doing my duty to the Empire. Do not let them fool you into thinking I was the deviant. This is all a lie."

The jury did not take long to deliberate, and within minutes Mothma stood to deliver the result. "The jury finds Wilhuff Tarkin guilty of the willful genocide of the Alderaanian people, and of treason against the Empire."

"Very well," Luke declared. "Then I as the Empire's Prince condemn you to death, and will personally oversee your execution at this time tomorrow. Court adjourned."

The cameras clicked off and the guards led a silent Tarkin away. As everyone shuffled out Luke found himself making his way next to Leia, his shoulders hunched. She too didn't look pleased. "I'm beginning to worry that we were wrong to do this," Leia whispered, fear bright in her eyes. "We've just scapegoated Tarkin for Palpatine. Making Tarkin seem like he was acting alone negated the Emperor's responsibility for the deaths on Alderaan."

"Perhaps," Luke admitted his voice quiet. "But perhaps not. Everyone knows that a weapon like that was designed to be used on more than moons. If anything it will make people angry that the Emperor planned to use it on someone, because that someone could have been them."

"I hope you're right."

"I do too, Leia. I do too."

Luke and Leia stood side by side in silence for a moment, and then Mothma approached them. "You both did well. It feels good to know that the law of either government was on our side."

"I'm just not looking forward to doing it again for the other officers. Since they didn't give the order it makes it a lot harder to pin," Luke admitted with a sigh. He still had a very long day ahead of him.

Or perhaps not. "I don't think we'll be needing you. The other officers were allowed to watch Tarkin's trial, and it appears they are now recognizing the Republic as the galaxy's legitimate government and asking for clemency. We'll need your vote Leia, but the rest of High Council was considering granting their request and letting them go."

"They must realize that by recognizing the Republic they're making themselves enemies of the Empire. They'll be hunted down and killed as traitors." Luke didn't even understand it. Were they truly so scared of him that they'd rather try their luck with bounty hunters? Was he actually that scary? He didn't see it, that was for sure. In Luke's mind he was just a goofy kid Jedi, absolutely nothing to fear from that. But apparently others disagreed.

"All the more reason why it doesn't hurt to let them go," Mothma admitted. "Besides, having that many Imperial Officers recognize us will be the single biggest turning point of this war. We'll gain real standing. Our recruitment in the last day alone has been up because of how you managed to destroy the Death Star without shedding any blood. You're a hero Luke, and I am glad to know you've seen the error in the ways of your father. I would like to offer you an informal place in High Command. Obviously it cannot be official without you renouncing your status in the Empire that has helped us so, but you will receive all the honors that come with it."

Honors, as if Luke wanted honors and titles. He was so sick of honors and titles. "Thank you, but I have to decline. I plan on staying for now, but if I am here only to train Leia in the ways of the Jedi, not to fight against the Empire. I support the Republic, I truly do, but I cannot bring myself to fight directly against my father. I do hope you can understand."

"I cannot," Mothma admitted biting her lip. "But I will allow you to remain never-the-less. If you change your mind and wish to take a more active role know the offer stands. You have done us a great service, and you won my trust the moment you returned with Leia."

Her words truly meant a lot to Luke, but he still wasn't ready to fight. He knew sooner or later the war would be up to him and Leia, but they had a different role to play. In the morning, should Palpatine not have denounced Luke, he would carry out Tarkin's execution and the other officers would be free to flee for their lives. And if Palpatine did denounce Luke… well then everything would have been a giant waste of time and energy.

But both the Emperor and Vader refused to give comments on the situation, and so their games continued just with one less Governor playing.

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 **dlsky:** Thank you very much! It's always bothered me that the movies just ignore the millions killed on the Death Star. They were people too. That's a pretty bloody victory.

 **L.K. Pen:** You amuse me as always. Yeah, Luke feels used, and he needs to forge his own path. I love the third option thing with heroes, because I always try to find the third option myself. Han and Leia are not a couple in this, but they're in the process of becoming a couple. It took them three years to admit their love in the movies; it would be odd for them to do so in a month in this.

 **TheChosenBibliophile** : Thank you very much! I'm glad you're enjoying.

and that's all the reviews I can currently see. Thank you to everyone else whose reviews I can't see and I'll reply as soon as they begin to appear again.


	24. Chapter 24

Review reply at the bottom: Enjoy!

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Chapter 24

Three weeks passed, and Luke focused on nothing but training Leia. The true weight of her planet's destruction finally hit after Tarkin's execution, and Luke joined her in hours of meditation to help her through it. She had to understand that the sadness, the loss, they weren't bad; they were a part of her that made her stronger. There was no darkness in pain, only proof of love. But her hatred for Tarkin, Vader, the Emperor, those would drive her down the exact path she hated so desperately. That hatred was something she had to release into the Force.

She wasn't done doing so by the time Luke got a coded message from his father asking him to Varykino, but she was far enough along that he felt comfortable bring her along. Han had been coming up with different reasons to stay with the Alliance (and mostly Leia) since the beginning, so he offered to take them on this one final trip before he and Chewie 'left for good.' Luke gladly accepted the offer; he sort of had to. It wasn't like he could tell the Alliance who he was going to meet after all. Han had seen how Vader was around his son and got it. Leia… Leia struggled, and yet she too understood that if Vader wanted to speak with his estranged son they really weren't smart to say no.

And so the Falcon brought them into Theed, and Luke sent Leia and Han to his Aunt's house. He didn't tell Leia of course that it was her aunt as well, but something told him she'd have to find out the truth sooner rather than later, and that knowing her extended family might be a good thing when the time came.

Luke's Aunt Sola had never approved of his relationship with Vader, and so she had been thrilled to discover Luke had been living with the Alliance. Pooja still hadn't gotten a new job since the Senate was disbanded, and she graciously accepted Leia. They'd never been friends in the Senate, Pooja avoiding anyone suspected of being a Rebel due to her dangerous connection with Vader, but a fellow Senator was a fellow Senator. (Plus Luke was pretty sure they thought he and Leia were an item, so they were all thrilled to keep an eye on her while Luke made the journey to Varykino alone.)

He'd only been to his mother's house a few times before, and never with his father. They'd always discussed going someday, but the time had never been right. Obviously the time never would be right because Luke and his father were most certainly not on the best of terms.

But they also couldn't deny the fact that they were family and they cared about each other. They might have fought, quite literally, over Leia, but that did not negate the past seven years of their lives. It did not make either one love the other less. It just made the love hurt more.

His father was already there when Luke arrived, and he followed his father's presence into the back room overlooking the garden. His father looked, well the same as always. His black cape billowed slightly when a breeze drifted through the window, and his respirator's steady sound reminded Luke of every time his father had just been sitting at the kitchen table when he got home from school.

But Luke wasn't just home from school. He'd been a willful inhabitant of the Alliance for weeks, and before that he'd left his father hanging, literally, over 'some girl'. Leia of course wasn't just some girl, but Luke couldn't tell his father that. Not without risking Leia at least.

"This was supposed to be your room," Luke's father mused before finally turning around to face his son. "This is where you should have grown up, surrounded by flowers, love, peace. Instead you were born into a galaxy at war and raised on the two harshest planets possible by people who would never be able to love you properly."

The truth of the words ached. Luke had been thinking a lot about the normal lives he and Leia would have led were it not for their Father's fall. They would have spent their days fighting and pushing each other in the lake, and at night they would have been forced by their parents to make up and Luke would pick a leia flower to give to his sister and then everything would be okay…

But that had never happened, and dwelling on the dream would only make Luke hate his life. "I was happy. I wished you were around more, but I had a good life. I knew you loved me, and I loved you. It was enough."

"So what happened? Why have you suddenly decided you need more?"

He was hurt, so very hurt. Luke could sense his father's pain and anxiety. He truly thought Luke was rebelling because he hated his father. He truly didn't see the larger implications of standing by while a planet was blown up. And that, that was the terrifying thing. He truly cared only for his son and not for the good of the universe. He was blind, as Luke had been, but no more. "I'm an adult now. You cannot be the only person in my life. But this isn't about Leia. It's about the fact that you have been choosing power and the dark side over me since before I was born! If you hadn't turned mother would still be alive and I could have been raised here. You wouldn't have been injured and maybe you wouldn't be a Jedi but you could be a mechanic and here when I got home from school and mom would have been a senator and Palpatine would never have been able to take control because you would have stopped him!"

"I was trying to save her! Palpatine promised me he could keep your mother from dying."

At least Luke finally had the answers there. "And after she died? Why didn't you turn back when you realized he had lied to you?"

"Padme was dead! I thought you were dead. I had nothing else to turn to."

"And so you turned towards evil and hatred? Surely there had to be something better? No you just didn't care anymore because you were controlled by darkness. And that's why, by the time you found me, you didn't just take me and walk away. You kept trying to secure power for an Empire. Why do you even want to be Emperor? We both hate politics! Let someone else rule the galaxy. Palpatine has to go, yes, but why must you take over? Why not just let there be a senate to deal with it?" Luke was pleading with his father, and they both knew it. He was desperate terrified and afraid. Luke didn't like fighting with his father, but he also couldn't turn back from his chosen path. He was long out of choices. Now it was up to his father.

Except his father felt the same way. "It's too late. The Republic is too far gone. If your precious Alliance was to restore it the first thing they would do was execute me to show the end of the old order. And they will kill you, the last heir, as well."

No, he was wrong. If Luke and his father killed Palpatine and then stepped aside the Alliance would thank them. They could just go to their lives and yet… and yet even Luke couldn't picture his father doing anything besides war. "Please father. I do not wish to fight you, but peace cannot occur until people are allowed to protest without fear of violence, and I just want peace."

"I will bring that peace as Emperor!"

The worst bit was that Luke could tell his father honestly believed it to be true. But it was a lie they'd both been fed, and Luke couldn't accept it anymore. "No Father, you won't. I will not stop until justice has been restored to this galaxy. Even if I am the only one left fighting you will never know peace from me. Not unless you return to the Light Side and let this ridiculous dream go."

"I do not wish to fight you Luke."

"I'm not just being a petulant teenager Father," Luke warned his voice steady. "I will not allow you to tear this galaxy apart further. I plan on destroying the Emperor and reinstating the Republic. If you do not wish to fight me you will not. There is good in you still, I know it. Extend that goodness you feel for me to the rest of the galaxy and this can all be over."

For a moment Luke felt a flicker of hope. His father was taking his seriously and truly considering it, but then he felt a fresh wave of fury. "You are not alone. You dare try to kill your own father?"

Luke didn't have a clue what his father was talking about at first, but then he noticed Leia standing behind him, her blue blade buzzing. "Leia, you need to go. You're not making it better."

"I know," Leia replied, and there was a hatred and bitterness in her voice which terrified him. He'd come trying to turn one family member away from the darkness, but he'd missed how close to falling another already was. "I'm sorry Luke, I know he's your father, but he cannot be allowed to live, and I cannot ask you to kill him."

The hiss of another blade igniting turned Luke's attention to their father, and he realized in horror what keeping the truth from Leia had done. "Father, you can't fight her," he desperately pleaded pulling out his own blade to block any moved either made. "Please."

"I am sorry, my son, but she has begun this," Vader answered his mechanical voice cold and without emotion. Before Luke could stop them the two people he cared about most in the galaxy were fighting. What Leia lacked in training she made up with in sheer fury, and Luke could practically see the dark side drilling further and further into her. He was about to lose her. He was about to lose both of them.

"Leia stop!" Luke cried trying to jump between their blades, but his father expected the move and sent his son flying out of the path. Luke landed with a thump in the corner, and watched in panic as Leia's blade went straight through the wall mere inches from their father's chest. "You don't know what you're doing!"

"He killed my father!"

"No Leia," Luke cried knowing she would never forgive him but that it wouldn't matter if the fight didn't end soon. "He is your father!"

Leia was so shocked by Luke's words that she just let the saber drop from her hands and extinguish as it hit the ground. If their father hadn't stopped she would have been easily killed, but he too heard Luke's words and stumbled away from the fight. "Wha… what?"

Luke scrambled to his feet and went over to pull Leia tight against his chest. Their father stared at him, but Luke did not move out of the way. If their father wanted to resume the fight he'd have to strike against both of his children. "I told you on Tatooine that I had a sister, and I wasn't lying. I didn't know, not until father recognized the necklace I'd taken from you. The necklace you said belonged to your mother, and my father said he'd carved for mine. But it made sense. We have the same birthday and we're both Force Sensitive. You even look like our mother. And that blade, the one Obi-Wan told you belonged to your Jedi father, the hilt is the same as the one my father has had as long as I've known him. You're my sister, and he's your father, and she's your daughter, and that's why this fight needs to end. I'm being torn apart trying to protect my family, all of my family. So please, just stop."

The room was silent for one second, and then Luke heard the hiss of his father turning off his blade. He reached down to pick up the lightsaber Leia had been fighting with, and then, hand quivering, reached out to give it to Luke. "Take her and go."

Luke grabbed it quickly and tried to lead Leia away, but she pulled back. "Let me go," she hissed, but once Luke did she did not turn back to their father. She simply stalked from the house fury and pain brewing deep within her. Luke went to follow, but found himself turning back to his father.

Even with the expressionless mask his father looked distraught. Clearly he was beginning to sense how horrible a parent he had been, or maybe he was just angry. Luke truly didn't know. "It is not too late for you father. When you're ready to choose your family over power leave a message at mother's grave. I'll get it. I'm not giving up on you, but Leia needs me more right now than you do. Goodbye Father, and may the Light Side of the Force be with you."

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DawnDayrider: Let's just assume Palpatine's plan is no good for anyone we care about and stick with that.


	25. Chapter 25

You know I grew greatly confused while writing this. Apparently gondolas are not only the boat, but also the air things... Yeah I've lost it.

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Chapter 25

Leia was almost halfway back to the gondola that would carry them to Theed by the time Luke left the house, and he had to run to catch up. He caught her right as she was approaching the gondola station, and, sensing Luke's presence, Leia turned around. Her eyes were red and puffy, and her lip bleeding. She looked nothing like the royal princess she had to be. She looked… well she looked the same way she had the day it finally clicked in her mind that her aunts could never nag her again because they were just gone.

"Leia, please," Luke pleaded, speaking to her as if she was a frightened animal. In many ways she truly was. Human beings, even at their best, were just evolved animals, and Leia wasn't just frightened-she was terrified. She was running from the truth, and that meant she was running from Luke. "Just let me talk."

But Leia did not. She took one more step away from Luke and onto the gondola. He rushed to catch up to her, force her to listen to him, but the transport had already pulled away far past Luke's ability to jump, the Force be damned. Cursing Luke sat down to wait for the next lift. As he sat Luke noticed some leias growing over on a ridge. Figuring the next lift was still far off he went over to grab the expensive flowers. He was on Naboo after all, and he surely couldn't leave without going to see his mother's grave. Perhaps there he'd find some sort of maternal wisdom he sorely needed, because he didn't know how else he could possibly get through to Leia. Not when Leia didn't even want to speak to him.

The next cart finally showed up, and Luke traveled alone back to Theed. None to his surprise Leia was nowhere to be seen in the station, and when he moved a bit further down the street to the shipyard, he discovered the Falcon was gone as well. Luke didn't know what Leia had told Han, but obviously they'd left without him. He wanted to curse his sister, but Luke instead found himself laughing. He was more than a little hysterical, but all of a sudden Luke remembered hearing one of his classmates complain about their older sister 'forgetting' she was supposed to take her little brother home from school.

His classmate had ended up just calling their father and getting a ride, but obviously Luke couldn't do that. He still sensed his father's presence on the planet, or at least in orbit above it, but Luke was not about to call for a ride. He'd never make it back to Leia if he did, and they needed to talk.

"Why is my family so kriffing complicated?" Luke muttered to himself kicking up a little bit of dirt as he turned towards the graveyard. "I swear other people do not live like this."

And maybe they didn't, but maybe they did. Luke didn't doubt that life was complicated for everyone. He still found it hard to believe, however, that most people had a father who had killed their mother but not really because she lived long enough to give birth to twins who were then separated and one went to live on a farm and the other went to be a princess and then the boy on the farm got arrested for being part of the princess's rebel alliance and the boy met their father and that father was the head of a military empire that attempted to rule the galaxy with force and was fighting the princess's rebels and then the boy was raised to accept his role as prince and learn to fight as a Jedi who were the sworn enemy of his father but also what his father used to be and then the brother met the sister and she hated him but he always felt something for her and then the boy was told he had to destroy his sister's rebels and he didn't even know she was his sister so he went to do it but then his sister found out and then she got her brother arrested but then not really and then the sister got kidnapped and tortured by the father so the brother went to rescue her and then he found out they were siblings and he couldn't tell her because their father had killed her family and then…

Luke couldn't even keep going; he'd lost track about four run-on sentences back. All he knew was that his life was ridiculously complicated, and it all started when his mother died. If she had lived they would never have lived such messes of lives, but she hadn't. The tomb that loomed in front of Luke was proof enough of that.

"Hi Mom," Luke whispered, the anger and frustration dissipating as he placed the leias on her grave. "I brought you leias. I would have brought you Leia, but she won't come. I guess you knew she was my sister all along… Force, I don't know what I'm doing. Leia tried to kill him; I had to tell her! But now she hates me again and I can't handle it. I just want us to be a family, but I guess that possibility died with you."

"I'm so sure there is good in him, but he doesn't want to be good. He blames himself for your death. He thinks he should be punished for it, but the ones who are paying are Leia and me. I feel so lost. And I know you can't give me the answers I need. I know I should just meditate and ask the Force what to do but… but the Force isn't my mom. I know I'm too old for this but… but I need you."

And yet she wasn't there. She had been dead for as long as Luke lived, all because of their father. Maybe Luke was wrong then to want to save him. Maybe he was as horrible as Leia thought and Luke was just too weak to do what needed to be done. But so be it. If not being able to kill his father made Luke weak then he'd be weak over strong any day. But being weak was hard, and Luke just wished there was someone to shoulder the burden with him. Some tender loving mother to guide him.

"Luke?"

For a split second, a pitiful moment, Luke turned around expecting to see his mother's form standing before him. But of course it wasn't his mother, but in a lot of ways it was as close as Luke got. The years hadn't been kind to Nila Difdin. She looked well and truly old, but she was pushing seventy, so it made sense. Her eyes, nonetheless, were alight with the same glowing-stars that Luke had hidden in his closet. He'd never been able to throw out the childish decorations that had been the first encouragement of his dreams. Oh how those dreams had failed him.

And yet Nila never had. She'd left of course, but Luke could not fault her for that. When a woman finds her granddaughter orphaned she has to step in, and obviously you don't just move that grandchild into Lord Vader's apartment. Plus Nila had stopped in many times over the years. She'd even come to Luke's graduation, though she'd left before the gala. That was the last time Luke had seen her, back on the last day of his old life. The months had aged her, but Luke didn't doubt they'd aged him in a far worse way.

"I'm sorry if I'm interrupting," the kindly woman said with a smile. "I know this is where your mother is buried. I just happened to see you come in and… well, to be honest I wasn't even sure it was you. You look older."

"You mean I look darker," Luke prompted his forced smile faltering. It was good to see Nila, and yet, and yet it just made Luke long even more for the family he lacked. "It's okay, you can say it. I've changed."

Nila nodded, and moved to sit next to Luke. It looked a little funny, old woman and teenager sitting on the ground in front of a mausoleum, but there was something undeniably right about it. "I follow you on the Holonet. I was terrified when I thought you'd been killed. I'm glad you've escaped."

"I didn't, not really," Luke admitted with a sigh. "I broke out, and then, well then I went back."

"Does it happen to have anything to do with this Leia?"

Ah. Luke shouldn't have been surprised that she'd heard his words. It meant a long explanation was due, and Luke couldn't help but feel glad it was so. He wasn't ignorant of the Force's workings in this case. After all these months for Nila to show up at his mother's grave of all places… no, Luke didn't believe in coincidences. "Princess Leia Organa… my twin sister. Apparently when Obi-Wan took me Bail Organa took her. I found out a few weeks ago when Alderaan was destroyed. When my father destroyed Alderaan to further torture his prisoner, Leia. I freed her and, in the process, turned my back on father. But what was I supposed to do? I was the only one who knew who she truly was, and I couldn't just let him kill her. And then how could I tell her knowing what he'd put her through? I should never have let her come to Naboo. I should have predicted she would follow me, try to kill him while we tried to reconcile. And then I couldn't just let them kill each other! So I told them the truth and now Leia hates me and my father thinks it's just more proof that he's not worthy of salvation!"

"And because your mother is gone you feel responsible for maintaining the family," Nila supplied grabbing Luke's hand. The teen hung his head, unable to hide the truth, and well aware of the fact that he was sick of crying and Nila's sympathy would just ruin him. "Luke, I can tell that you've grown up, but that doesn't mean you have to be the grown up. In the end you can only make decisions for yourself. You need to stop trying to force people to believe the things you do. In the end your sister will have to decide whether or not she wants to forgive your father, and your father will have to decide whether or not he wants to be forgiven. You can only give them the choices, not make the decisions for them"

Nila made it sound like Luke was the problem, the control freak, and he realized in many ways he was. He'd been acting like, well like the Emperor, or at least like Obi-Wan. Who said it was his job to protect them from the truth? Maybe if he stopped fighting their natures he'd be able to stop them from fighting. No, no maybe they'd be able to stop themselves. "But what if I stop and they destroy themselves."

"Then that was their choice, but it's better to give those we love the chance to fail then force them to be good. Besides, if you truly love them then you'll trust them to make the right decisions. The truth is, Luke, that you're not always right either, you don't have all the answers, so be honest with yourself and you may be surprised the truths you learn."

Her words sting, but what good advice doesn't? Only a fool believes that true inspiration lacks unpleasantness. True inspiration is what gets you past the unpleasantness. "Thank you," Luke whispered, and he even accepted Nila's hug. "I wish you'd never had to go. I think I would have spent a lot less time confused."

"You would have spent a lot less time getting yourself in trouble, but I doubt anything could keep you from being confused. You are a teenager after all," Nila teased him, and then stood. Luke was confused for a second why she was leaving so quickly, but then he noticed Leia standing nervously behind them. "Stop in next time you're home on Coruscant. You've been wrapped up in your own little galaxy for too long." She looked over at Leia. "You take care of my boy for me, will you? You can't leave him alone for too long or he'll get his leg stuck in a swoop-bike rack."

"That was one time and I was eleven!" Luke objected his cheeks rushing red. He was horrified at having that brought up in front of Leia. Leia, however, was laughing hysterically, and Luke didn't miss Nila's little wink as she disappeared into the rows of graves.

"Do I even want to know?" Leia asked her chuckle having died out quickly, but the smile still lingering by her ears.

Seeing her smile at him again made the embarrassment worth it. "My old nanny… Leia, I really am sorry for not telling you."

"Yeah, well I'm sorry for telling Han Vader had killed you and that we needed to leave," Leia admitted sitting down and curling up on Luke's right. Luke hesitated for a moment, noticing the way her eyes lingered on the stained-glass window depicting their mother, but he ended up sitting back down with her.

"How did he figure it out?"

Leia blushed, "Apparently I wasn't upset enough. Can you believe that he thought we were a couple?"

Luke cringed a little bit, but he could actually see where Han was coming from. Luke and Leia's relationship made a lot more sense when you knew they were not only twins but Force-bonded twins, but if you didn't know… Actually Luke wouldn't have been surprised if things had developed like that if he hadn't known. Thank the Force that hadn't happened. Luke could not imagine having kissed his sister. "I bet he was thrilled to know I was out of the way. He's been eyeing you for weeks."

"He has?" Leia's dumbstruck face was enough to push Luke into a fit of laughter, and she ended up hitting him before Luke stopped. "Oh stop it. You're trying to get back on my good side, remember?"

The leias Luke had picked for their mother were resting gently against the mausoleum, and Luke picked the nicest one to hand to his sister. Leia accepted it without even rolling her eyes, but Luke noticed her place it back on the tomb when she thought he'd looked away. "Leia, I really am sorry. I never realized that I've spent years complaining about people trying to manipulate me and I've been doing the same to you. I promise from here on out that I'm going to tell you the truth and then we'll make decisions together. It's our lives now, not just mine… that is if you want it to be. If you don't, well then I'll never tell another soul whose genes you carry and I'll expect nothing of you."

Leia hesitated for a long moment. Luke could tell that she was honestly considering his offer. If no one ever had to know, if it was never to be mentioned again, then she could just go back to her life. She could continue being Princess Leia Organa, daughter of Bail and Breha Organa. She wouldn't have to be a Jedi or have Imperial family members. She wouldn't even have to face the challenges that just liking Luke presented.

But Leia would also be living a lie. She could carry on letting the rest of the world believe that she fought for her father's legacy, but she would not be able to forget that she was, in fact, fighting her father. She wouldn't be using the Force, but she couldn't deny it was there. The whole rest of the galaxy wouldn't think she'd changed, but Leia would always know.

"You promised not to lie to me anymore Luke, so I need to know," Leia finally began. She took a minute with each word, but there was no malice in her voice. "Why did you not tell me?"

"You were upset about Alderaan and I didn't want to make it worse. Emotions aren't necessarily a bad thing, but when they get out of control they lead to the Dark Side," Luke explained plainly. Hadn't he already said as much? He could understand her wanting clarification but really it was a very simple issue.

Or so Luke thought. Leia on the other hand was staring at Luke as if trying to read every cell of him, "Are you absolutely sure that's the only reason?"

Luke almost went to say of course, but then he remembered Nila's words. She'd told him he needed to be honest with himself before he could be honest with anyone else. Was he being honest with himself? Was his only concern really just how Leia would feel? Did it all have to do with Luke not wanting her to be pulled towards the Dark Side?

No, no when Luke thought about it there was more at work. He hung his head upon realizing the truth, but he kept his promise and answered, "I guess there was a part of me that just didn't want to share Father. I never got adopted parents, I got our aunt and uncle, and they're not even blood related. Uncle Owen is father's stepbrother who he met once. They were kind and they were good but they never understood. Uncle Owen never saw me as his son, he saw me as Vader's kid who he needed to keep from going down the same path. And then I moved in with Father and everything was different. I had friends and people who cared about me, but he cared about no one but me. No one else in the galaxy was as important to him as me. I didn't want to have to share that. Force it sounds ridiculous, but I guess I was jealous, and I guess I worried that since you're more like mother he'd pick you over me."

"Well I don't think I'm about to become 'daddy's little princess'. You'll always be the one he raised. Even if we ever were to see eye to eye he'll always have loved you first.

" But you have to understand Luke that I did have both a mother and a father, and they were both killed by… by him. At the same time I would be proud to be the daughter of Padme Amidala, and nothing will stop you from being my kid brother," Leia finally admitted, and Luke shoved her a bit for the last comment. "Because we both know I am obviously the older one."

Luke quite literally stuck his tongue out at her, and she motioned as if to prove her point. "Next time we speak with Obi-Wan I'm going to ask him and you're going to cry."

"Just like you did when you were born. I would know, because I was already there," Leia taunted standing up and offering Luke a hand. He grabbed it and stood up himself, and for the first time the two twins stood in front of their mother's grave, together. "I still don't know how to see him as my father, though."

Luke nodded wishing he could understand. Maybe in that other life where he'd never left Tatooine Luke would have gotten it, but he doubted it. Uncle Owen would never have been a father, not the way Bail Organa was to Leia. "When you see the good in him for the first time then, then you will understand. But even then accepting Anakin as your father won't make Bail any less so."

"Anakin," Leia repeated his real name, and she didn't seem too repulsed by it. Anakin to her was the little slave boy Luke had described back on Tatooine. That little kid had sounded so good and brave. Leia could even recall the amazement in her father's voice when he once spoke about knowing the 'Hero with no fear'. Anakin Skywalker could be a good man and father, and Luke believed Anakin was still within Vader. Leia just had to see it.

"You know I need to be the one who tells people. If this gets out to the larger Alliance desertion rates will skyrocket, but Mothma needs to know. We don't want him using the lies to his advantage."

Luke doubted their father would. Most likely Vader was still reeling from the revelation, but once he accepted it Luke had no doubt that his fierce protectiveness would extend to Leia the same way it did Luke. Perhaps he would be even more so Leia being a girl, especially when she looked so much like their mother. "Just don't let Han know. He's terrified of Father and will probably think he's going to get frozen in carbonite for kissing you."

If Luke found himself teeth-first in the dirt, it had nothing to do with Leia. After all she hadn't touched him, and three weeks of Force training surely wasn't enough to knock over her master. Luke couldn't even suggest such a thing without seeming thoroughly inept himself, so surely it wasn't possible. Surely.


	26. Chapter 26

Take a super long chapter and enjoy! Also, new theory. Rey isn't Jyn Erso's daughter. Rey IS Jyn Erso reincarnated. Discuss.

* * *

Chapter 26

Luke kept a close eye on his mother's grave waiting, hoping, that he'd get a message from his father, but for a long while nothing came. He couldn't help but worry that his father was angry, that he had disappointed his father. The few times he voiced this opinion to Leia she pointed out that the Alliance had seen a severe decrease in raids from the Death Squadron. She, of course, was interpreting that as their father being worried about Luke and Leia getting caught up in an attack. Luke, of course, worried that it was just proof their father was planning something. But it appeared Leia was right because no big attack came, and, finally, a letter did.

Immediately upon returning from Naboo, Leia had told Mothma about her heritage. The Alliance leader (sheepishly) admitted that she had suspected as much since first seeing Luke and Leia together. While people who knew often commented that they looked like one of their parents, it was only when the two were together that the resemblance could be fully seen, at least by those who had known the couple. Once she discovered they both had the same birthday and that Leia was Force sensitive, well Mothma had been sure. She even swore that she'd planned on telling them when the time was right, but Luke doubted she would have any more than he would have had his hand not been forced. That's truly just the kind of news you don't want to share.

Of course having known previously didn't make Mothma any happier with the arrangement, but she agreed keeping it a secret was best. She even agreed to have their contacts on Naboo keep an eye on the grave, and so she was there when the message finally reached Luke and he opened it.

The handwriting was not his father's and it took Luke a minute to realize who the letter was even from. Once he did, however, Luke read Rickon's words avidly.

 _Luke,_

 _I'm sorry I have not written, but I figured getting a letter from a member of_

 _The Red Guard might ruin your cover in the Alliance. I am_

 _Still in training, officially, but Palpatine oversees it_

 _All so the title is just an excuse for them to pay me less._

 _The Emperor seems to have taken a liking to me. I think that he knows_

 _That we are friends. Whatever the case the other guards say they can't_

 _Recall a newbie being in the Emperor's presence so often so soon_

 _After staring. But being in the Emperor's presence so often is my problem._

 _Palpatine is evil Luke, and from what I've overheard you know that._

 _He kills indiscriminately, and Alderaan was supposed to be just the beginning._

 _Exactly what he has planned now, however, I have yet to hear. If I do I will write._

 _He scares me though Luke, especially when I hear him talk about you. He_

 _Always says that you just need to be taught the power of the Dark_

 _Side, but he is angry and I know it. Our fathers were wrong about him_

 _Luke. He's a monster. I hear everything he says, and he's a monster._

 _Exactly what you can do, I do not know, but I hear enough to know you are_

 _Already prepared to fight him. You and your father both._

 _He is unguarded for a half hour every first day after lunch for meditation. People_

 _Really mess with the Force, and that he needs the time alone to recharge._

 _Unless you catch him during this time, you won't be able to defeat him. And you_

 _Need to defeat him, for the galaxy's sake. I trust your father will get this to you._

 _Your friend,_

 _Rickon_

At the very bottom of the paper Luke finally spotted his father's writing: _Next last day, Republica500, bring your sister_

"What does he want?" Mothma finally asked after the silence stretched a little bit too long for Luke to still be reading.

Luke handed over the letter to Leia first, and spoke as he did, "It's mostly a letter from my friend Rickon. He's been working as a Red Guard since graduation, and he's not too pleased with the things he's overheard. According to him the Emperor is unguarded for a half hour every First day right after lunch. All my father wrote is that he wants Leia and me to go to my apartment on last day, probably to prepare for a strike against the Emperor the next day."

Mothma took the time to read the letter after Leia handed it to her, but Luke could tell the woman's thoughts even before she read it. "It could very well be a trap. Either your friend could be trying to lure you in for the Emperor, or your father is. You haven't seen one in months and who knows where you stand with the other."

Luke knew what she said was true, but at the same time… "Rickon's not like that. He's been my best friend since we were kids."

"The Emperor personally oversees the training for the Red Guard though," Leia pointed out, but Luke sensed that she wasn't really convinced. "You never know how someone might change. You have."

"My views have changed, but not me. I wouldn't lure Rickon into a trap if my life depended on it, and Rickon is a better person than I am. He's not lying. I don't think my father is either. He cares about us. I know it. If there no other good in him I know he loves his children and he won't hurt us."

Leia flinched a bit at the plurality of Luke's words, but slowly nodded in agreement, "Even if it is a trap this is our single best chance to take out the Emperor. Even if Vader steps right in as Emperor the power shift will weaken the Empire, and if he'd ruling the galaxy he won't have the time to hunt us."

"I'm sorry," Mothma finally decided handing the letter back to Luke. "But I cannot devote Alliance resources to this. There is too much at stake. However, as he often reminds me, Luke is not a member of the Alliance, he is our guest. If he was to hire a certain smuggler to take him to Coruscant there would be nothing I could do to stop him. And if Leia felt the need to go after him because, as our guest, Luke has too much knowledge of the Alliance's workings… well I do not see how I could deny her that."

Luke and Leia nodded in understanding. Mothma could not support a mission that would, at best, replace one Sith emperor for another, but she would not deny Luke and Leia their family. She was well aware of the fact that they had very different roles to play than the rest of the galaxy simply because, like it or not, they were Vader's children. Even Leia he had acknowledged by asking Luke to bring his sister. As little as Mothma thought it possible, she could see why Luke felt there was still goodness in their father. She only hoped he was correct and she had not just let two very valuable resources be drawn into a trap.

Han was… well less than pleased about taking Luke and Leia to meet with their father. He knew, however, that they were going to find a way to go one way or another, and figured it was best he kept them in line. (As if anyone could truly keep a Skywalker in line.)

And so a few days passed and it was finally time for them to go. Luke, after a long mental debate, decided he best bring all of his stuff with him. In all reality he could not imagine things endings in a way that meant him coming back to the Alliance. Either he was going to be the son of the new Emperor and have to stay on Coruscant to try and keep his father in line, or he was going to be dead. They weren't about to fail and survive.

"You two sure about this?" Han asked once they landed on Coruscant. "Because I can get out of here before anyone even knows you came in the first place."

Luke appreciated the offer, he really did, but it was too late. He could sense his father, which meant his father could sense them. "You're welcome to leave. Whether things go right or wrong I'll doubt we'll need a ride off planet."

"No way," Han countered, proving once more that he wasn't the selfish coward he'd like to be. "I'll be right here waiting for you, unless you want me to come. I'm sure a blaster works as well against the Emperor as your sabers."

Luke severely doubted that, but he appreciated the offer. In the end, however, it was Leia that turned Han away. "I don't think we need another loose cannon. Who knows what you'll do."

"Hey, I'm as straight a shooter as they get Princess," Han countered the usual smug smile plastered on his face. He looked ready to carry on the banter, something Leia would surely accept, but they were on the clock. Their Force presences would be masked by their father's at the apartment, in a shipyard they could easily be recognized by any spy or inquisitor. If word got back to Palpatine that Luke and Leia were on Coruscant he would be understandably suspicious. So Luke began walking out of the ship therefore forcing his lovebird sister to follow.

Luke kept to the alleyways and side streets he's always used to hide from reporters, and they didn't meet a soul. Getting into Republica500 unnoticed was a little bit more difficult, but it was Luke's home. He knew how to do it, and after taking the most complicated route possible, Luke and Leia arrived at their father's apartment.

Leia hesitated a bit at the door, probably due to who was going to be inside more than where she was, so Luke grabbed her hand. "This apartment is technically mother's you know, and all of her old dresses and papers are still in there. Just talk to him and I'll show you her notes on Clone Wars Senate proceedings."

"That's cheating," Leia hissed, but she didn't stop Luke as he opened the door. Apparently bribing her with such precious relics of the past worked. Luke would have to remember that if they survived this and he ever needed something from her.

Their father sat at the kitchen table, but there was no familiarity in his posture. Whenever Luke came home from school or Rickon's to find his father doing paperwork there had always been a relaxed ease in his father's frame. Not this time. There was no paperwork, no ease. His muscles were taught and rigid, and Luke wondered for just how many hours their father had been sitting there waiting. They had never agreed on a time, after all, and it was late. Luke had wanted to give the Emperor as little time as possible to sense him and Leia, but he had, apparently, made his father think they might not be coming.

But they had come, and there was a palpable release of tension (albeit not all the tension) once he stood and faced the twins. Leia stood slightly behind Luke, her face raised in defiance, but the fear she was projecting into the Force was missed by neither father nor son.

Their father moved slowly towards them, but stopped when Leia visibly flinched, "I am glad you both came. I feared our previous encounters would stop you."

"Any chance to take down Palpatine is worth the sacrifice, even if it means working with you, Vader." Leia's voice was practically a hiss, and Luke wondered if his father flinched beneath the mask. "Luke, please show me my room."

Luke took a deep breath. He'd been expecting Leia's emotions to flare when faced with their father. At least their father seemed more hurt than angry. The last thing he needed was for things to devolve into another duel. "Leia," Luke calmly asked grabbing her hand and giving it a tight squeeze. "If we walk into the Throne Room tomorrow divided the Emperor will destroy us all. I will lock you in the smuggling compartments on the Falcon if I have to, but, as your Jedi Master, I cannot allow you to come until you let go of your hatred. Please. You don't have to love him, but don't let you hatred turn you into something equally as dark. Just hear him out."

The emotions brewing within Leia were dark, very so, but she did not pull away from Luke. She stood her ground and gave her father an opportunity to speak. "If I had known of our relation I would never have treated you the way I did. I am not the good man Luke sees, but I do not enjoy hurting my family."

"You killed our mother, choked Luke, and tortured me, and you do not enjoy hurting your family? Everything you have done for the past eighteen years has hurt your family! You're despicable."

Each of Leia's words were daggers digging into Vader's heart, but they tortured Luke as well. He hated hearing Leia talk about their father like that. It wasn't going to make either of them feel better. "Stop, please, just stop," Luke whispered. "He didn't know, and that doesn't make it right, but he didn't know. You can't blame him after all the lies."

"No, she is correct to. The day I choked you I knew perfectly well what I was doing. But you don't know the power of the Dark Side. Leia is within her right to hate me. That hate will make her stronger."

Whether or not it was his intent, telling Leia to use her hatred showed her exactly what Luke had been saying. Using her hatred would turn her Dark, just as it had done their father. She either had to choose to be like him, or choose to forgive.

But how does someone forgive something like that? "I would like to go to bed, Luke."

Luke felt ready to scream, but listening to them fight any longer would just hurt him more. "Fine. The guest room is at the end of the hall. The room on the right is mine; the room on the left is father's. Mother's diaries are in the chest in the master bedroom through there."

There was a flicker of betrayal in Leia's eyes as Luke sent her off without even showing her to the room herself, but she simply stalked off without another word. She didn't even go to the master bedroom to look at the Senate records, and if that didn't say something about her emotional state, nothing did.

"What did she want with your mother's diaries?" There was a cold sense of dread in their father's voice when he finally broke the tense silence Leia had left in her wake.

"She just wanted to see the old Senate records," Luke sighed, pulling out a kitchen chair and crashing in it. He knew perfectly well that the comfortable persona he was putting out wasn't reality, but it was easy to pretend that the past months hadn't happened and Luke's life was once more normal. "I figured they would make a lot more sense to her than they did to me."

His father nodded, "And tell me how you even knew they were in there. I explicitly remember telling you never to go in there as it was too dangerous."

Luke snorted a laugh, "I actually believed that for like a year you know. But I figured it out around the same time I realized that 'hyperbaric' just meant 'more oxygen'."

"I am glad to know the education I paid for was worth it," his father replied, and Luke could swear there was an ounce of humor in the words. Were they really just sitting at the kitchen table teasing each other? Could they really just fall back into such a familiar pattern after months of disagreement?

Apparently not, because Luke's father's mood didn't remain light for long. "You sister is correct to hate me. I have never been the father I should be, to either of you. I should have sent you to live on Naboo the moment I discovered your existence."

"Why not just send me back to Tatooine."

"No son of mine was going to spend his life on a moisture farm," Vader easily answered. "At least on Naboo you would still have received a proper education, and I would have been able to visit you easily."

Luke couldn't help but be glad to know that even in the hypothetical universe where he'd been raised by Aunt Sola his father would still have been around. "You know Leia and I have been talking a lot about hypothetical lives, but I'm starting to think it's not worth it. This is the life we got, and it's time we accept it."

"When did you get so wise?"

Luke considered making a joke about Yoda, but then decided that if his father was unaware of the little green Jedi's hideout then it was best to keep it that way. Besides, it wasn't even the truth. "When I accepted that there is no power in darkness, only love."

"It was love for my family that drove me to where I am," Vader reminded his son. "I loved you all so much that I couldn't consider the possibility of losing you. In the end I did, more than once."

Luke couldn't help himself; he reached across the table and grabbed his father's gloved hand. It was hard and metal, of course, but then again so was Luke's. "You have more family than ever before, father. Leia will come around once we've defeated the Emperor and she can see the good in you."

"I find your faith disturbing," his father replied, but Luke could sense the palpable relief. His father had truly worried that both his children would hate him. Luke didn't though, he never could, and he didn't think Leia truly did either.

"Do we have any true plan for tomorrow?" Luke had figured that planning was why their father had risked them arriving so early, but so far they had discussed nothing of importance.

But the challenge they would face was important, and Luke wasn't sure they would be able to succeed. "The Emperor has a Sith shrine in the palace. I expect that will be where he goes to separate from the living around him and regain his strength. We will travel through the Force tunnels to the shrine and then attack him while his shields are down. I fear without the power of the Dark Side you and your sister will not be able to fight him."

Leia might only have a few weeks training, but she would be fine, and Luke knew that he was stronger than his father, Dark Side or no. "We will succeed, and you will see that you do not need the Dark Side to protect your family."

"I think it is time you went to bed, my son."

Luke tried to keep the smirk off his face. He did not have the added advantage of a mask to hide his amusement at their banter, "I'm eighteen, dad. I think I am old enough to decide when to go to bed… and so I'm going to bed. Not because you told me to, but because I have decided to."

The sound that followed Luke out of the room could not possibly have been Darth Vader's laugh, but it made Luke smile anyways. The goodness he'd been bringing out of his father for years had done most of the job subconsciously. All Luke needed to do was push his father back over the precipice of darkness and into the abyss of light.

And he needed to do it before Leia found herself dangling from the dark path as well.

Despite Luke's firm words, he could not fall asleep. Lying in his bed, thinking about the upcoming fight and how it would be the decisive moment for his family, it was enough to drive Luke mad. And the worst bit was that his bed didn't really feel like his bed. It was too soft, too familiar. The Alliance beds were hard and springy, but the foam mattress on Luke's bed was still indented by his shape. Luke could even see how he'd grown over time from how deep the indents were. It was so odd, and so familiar.

The door to Luke's room creaked open, and Luke defensively reached for his lightsaber. In the end it turned out to be Leia's figure illuminated by his green blade, and so Luke turned off the weapon and used the Force to flick on the light.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," Leia apologized coming to sit on the foot of Luke's bed. "I thought I'd sensed you up."

Luke couldn't help but be impressed with how well her training was going. She wasn't perhaps as strong as he was, but she carried weight with the Force. Luke was convinced that was half of why she was such a good politician. "You were right. Something about being home after so long makes it hard."

Leia nodded, and Luke cursed a little bit. Leia would never get to return home. "So this is your room… is that the Falcon on the wall?"

Luke looked over to the mural Nila had painted during his first days with his father. It was indeed the Falcon, having been painted at the request of Han. How many times had Luke looked at that painting over the years? He practically didn't even realize the murals were still there, but they were. Even as Luke's sheets became a standard black and the toy models disappeared, the murals Nila had so painstakingly painted never disappeared. Luke couldn't imagine his room without them. "I wasn't kidding about Han working for my father in the beginning. I know it's hard to believe, but that was a long time ago."

Leia nodded, "I know… You know I've spent so many years trying to honor my father's legacy, and I knew all that time I was adopted, but it never crossed my mind that that meant I would have a second legacy to live up to."

"There's nothing he expects of you," Luke reminded her gently reaching out to squeeze her hand. "Nothing either of us do. If you want to tell yourself tomorrow that you're fighting the Emperor as a member of the Alliance and not as a Skywalker you're welcome to do so. But you can't go into this with hatred in you. Palpatine will just turn you against us."

Leia nodded, "I know, but I can't stop hating him. He held me and forced me to watch as Alderaan was destroyed! I can't stop picturing it, and I know he didn't care at all. Billions of people, women, children, sons, daughters, were blown up and he didn't care. He only cares about you, and maybe me, I don't even know, but he's evil Luke, and I'm not sure the good in him is going to be enough. How are you going to feel when Palpatine is dead and he's taken over as Emperor and nothing changes? How are you going to feel when you have to either fight him or accept his indifference to life?"

"I have to believe that the love he has for us will be enough," Luke admitted. Leia's worries were his own, but Luke couldn't afford to think that way. "And if you can't let go of the hatred I can't let you come tomorrow. I can't risk losing you to the Dark Side."

"You can't stop me from coming," Leia reminded, standing abruptly. "I'm nothing like him Luke. I'm not going to fall to the Dark Side. It's natural and good to hate evil things."

Perhaps, but it wasn't good to hate people. Luke's words obviously weren't working, however, and if Leia was right about something it was Luke's inability to stop her from coming. He just had to hope something could get through to her before it was too late. "Here," Luke finally whispered getting up and pulling a box from beneath his desk. "I won't try to stop you from coming. I won't warn you of the consequences again, but I want you to read these letters. Father wrote them to his daughter every day from when he found out Mother was pregnant until the one year anniversary of our supposed death. Just read them, please, and then tomorrow when we defeat the Emperor, you can decide what to do next."

Leia made no promises, but she left the room with the letters. Luke found himself laying back down in his bed and wondering how in the galaxy it was possible for one family to be so messed up.


	27. Chapter 27

This chapter took me weeks to write, so enjoy it my friends. It was a struggle.

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Chapter 27

Luke slept in the next morning, so by the time he woke up, it was practically time for them to go. He quickly got ready, donning his whitest clothes. Even Luke could admit he looked slightly ridiculous, but he needed the reminder that he was a Jedi, and a Jedi he would stay. He was not Darth Joch, and he had never been. Palpatine was not his master, and he was not Luke's Emperor. He was a tyrant and Sith, and he would be destroyed so that balance could be restored to the Force.

Luke didn't sense his father in the apartment, which made sense. Darth Vader didn't stay home and sleep in. Darth Vader barely slept. Luke's father was certainly out doing important things, or at least pretending to do important things. Most likely he was just as nervous as his son, and Luke felt ready to puke.

Leia didn't seem half as concerned. Luke could sense her presence in the Force, and wasn't reassured by the grayness of it. She was not in a good place. If she went before the Emperor she would be ripe to turn, but Luke could not keep her from coming. It was her family and destiny much the same way it was his. And she was strong. She would be able to fight Palpatine. She would have to. Palpatine had no idea that Leia was the Force-sensitive daughter of Anakin Skywalker; she would be their secret weapon.

"Hey," Luke greeted knocking gently on her door. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah," Leia called, her voice harsh. Luke couldn't help but wonder if he'd somehow missed a screaming match between her and their father, but when he opened the door and saw how splotchy her eyes were he realized she'd just been crying.

And the reason why was easily apparent. Their father's letters were strewn across the floor, and mixed in were their mother's diaries. Luke couldn't help but wonder if Leia had gotten any sleep at all, or if she'd just tortured herself with their parent's past all night. "Where did you get that clothes?"

Leia wasn't wearing the dress she'd arrived in, but had changed into some gray trousers and tunic Luke had never seen before. "Oh, I found them in mother's room. They fit, well they actually fit perfectly. It hadn't really clicked in my mind that dueling in a dress might not end well when I packed."

"Hmm," Luke couldn't help but agree. "Your hair isn't right either. It can't hang down like that, as pretty as it may be. Can I?" He didn't even wait for a response before grabbing a couple of the elastics hanging from Leia's bag and fighting with her hair. Within a few second he has done, and Leia gave him a baffled look.

"Three buns? Isn't that a bit excessive? Where did you even learn how to do hair anyways?"

Luke shrugged, "My friend Leah would sometimes wear her hair in a bun, but she always said that the elastics struggled to hold that much hair, and yours is even longer."

"You are just full of surprises sometimes," Leia smirked reaching out with the Force to tidy all the letters. Luke was actually surprised by how easily she controlled such a number of objects, but he shouldn't have been surprised. Leia was an impressive student when she actually decided she wanted to learn.

Luke grabbed the letter on top, and discovered it was actually a page of their mother's journal that must have fallen out. He'd seen her handwriting enough times to recognize it, and couldn't help but smile wistfully. How he wished he'd truly known her.

 _I fear I am losing Anakin, though to what I don't know. He never ceases to smile when he sees me and thinks of our son (for I know it will be a son), but every time he thinks I'm not looking a darkness comes over him. I know it's the war, that it has darkened us all, but I worry for him. I know he would die for me or our son, and I don't think I could live if he did._

Luke's own demeanor grew darker; she hadn't lived. Not because Father died, but because of what he lived to become. But it would end soon enough. Palpatine would die, and Luke could save his father. It would all be over soon. It had to be. "Come on," Luke told his sister. "I imagine father plans to meet us at the Palace, and the walk can be pretty long when you're trying to avoid being seen."

Leia nodded and followed him out of the apartment. Luke turned around wondering if he would ever see the place he'd spent so many years again, but the Force told him yes. With that encouragement, Luke began leading them out of Republica500 and through the sketchier parts of Coruscant on the path to the palace.

There was no sign of their father outside the Palace, and lingering in sight was certainly not a good idea. Perhaps Luke's defection was well enough hidden that anyone who recognized him wouldn't be surprised to see him in the Palace, but Leia was a known Rebellion leader. In fact she was number 2 on the Empire's most wanted list last time Luke checked. Having her in sight wasn't a good idea.

So Luke led her back into the tunnels running through the Palace, and was glad to find their father there. "I was beginning to worry you would not come."

"I was beginning to worry the same thing Father," Luke admitted, but there was no grin or lightness in his voice. They were on a mission to murder someone, and even if that person was dying for a very good reason, murdering someone in cold blood should not be a humorous occasion.

And that worked well for the Skywalker family. "The Emperor has just finished lunch and retreated into his meditation. We must move now, and do not let your shields drop before we are upon him. If he recognizes our presences he will know what we have planned."

Luke and Leia nodded, Luke having already made sure Leia shielded her Force signature properly. He knew how easy it was to recognize a Skywalker in the Force, and so they needed to make a conscious effort to hide when all three were together.

They walked silently through the hidden corridors, and Luke tried to focus on the upcoming task. He doubted the Emperor would succeed in turning him, but he couldn't help but worry about Leia. She was so conflicted about their father, and for good reason. The Emperor would be able to exploit it easily. _At least the Emperor has no idea she's my sister. Plus he's always been very sexist. Perhaps she'll be safe because he won't want to turn her. He wants me, his 'Darth Joch'. Well I'm not his, not anymore._

Their father stopped in front of them, and Luke peered around his massive figure to see what the cause was. It appeared they had arrived, however, because there was a door to let them right into the Sith shrine. Luke could feel the evil and darkness radiating from just beyond the door. There was something wholly terrifying, but Luke found it didn't upset him the way it once had. As a child he'd been scared of the Darkness, but there is no reason to fear the Darkness if you yourself can be a beacon of light.

Their father turned around the best he could in the small corridor, and Luke offered a reassuring nod. None of them knew for sure what they would find awaiting them, but they knew what they had to do. Either they were all to fall or Palpatine was. It was the moment of truth.

The three Skywalkers burst through the door simultaneously, and found a different scene from what they had expected. The Emperor was not meditating alone. He was not even meditating. Darth Sidious sat in a black velvet chair, and on either side of him sat Rickon and Leah, binders on their arms and legs. Rickon looked up when they came in, his eyes filled with horror. "No! Luke run!"

Luke's lightsaber was ignited, but even Leia, who had no idea who Rickon and Leah were, could tell that things had changed. They had been brought right into a trap.

"Fools," Palpatine sneered. "Did you truly believe I was unaware of your meetings? Did you not find it odd when I chose an untested child to join my red guard? I would not dare send forth a new apprentice without a certain assurance that he would have to return to me. Though I never imagined he would find an apprentice of his own."

Luke couldn't help himself; he stepped a bit closer to his sister. "Let Leah and Rickon go," he growled.

"Turn your blade on your allies. Kill your father and apprentice, and I shall spare your friends' lives. I have no wish for their death. You are aware of Leah's Force potential. Far too pitiful to be worth training, even as an Inquisitor, but I have foreseen the children she could bear. Rededicate yourself as my apprentice and she shall be your wife."

Luke realized for the first time just how accurate the vision he'd seen on Degobah could be. If Luke turned, if he truly turned, Leah would be his wife, and Leia truly was his sister. But if all that was true… well then it all was. Luke would destroy his father and the rest of his friends. "I think I know Leah enough to say that neither of us are interested in that offer. Let them go."

Palpatine, of course, did not. He simply snarled and unsheathed his own crimson saber. "Very well. If it is a duel you wish for it is a duel you will receive. Do not be fooled by appearances. I shall not be beaten. I will kill your father and apprentice, and then you shall be mine!"

Vader did not appreciate being so callously tossed aside in favor of his son, and struck out first. The two scarlet blades met with a furious crash, and the fight began. Palpatine, for all his age, was still a true Sith master. He and Vader had dueled before, and while the latter might have been stronger before Kenobi destroyed his body, he no advantage over the elder. But Vader was fighting for more than just power; he fought for family. The combination of Light and Dark side intentions drove him to a new power, and held off Sidious long enough for Luke and Leia to make it over to the hostages.

"I tried to warn you," Rickon stuttered as Luke attempted to undo the binders. They were not responding to the Force, and so he ended up just (carefully) cutting apart the two sides with his saber.

"It's okay," Luke reassured his friend helping the larger teen to his feet. Rickon was wearing most of his Red Guard outfit, but it looked ridiculous on him. After everything he surely was not still a loyal protector to the Emperor.

He was loyal to no one but his friends, "I'm so sorry. He said he'd kill Leah and… I couldn't watch her die. I put a warning in the letter I thought…"

Luke nodded in understanding though he'd clearly missed the warning. Not that it would have changed much. Luke would still have come to save his friends and defeat the Emperor. They could not just pretend to be fine for any longer. Things had to come to a head eventually. "It's okay Rickon. Just get yourself and Leah as far away from here as possible, okay? Don't even tell your dad where you're going. Just get off Coruscant. I'll find you when it's safe."

"Come with us," Rickon pleaded not wanting to see his oldest friend get involved in the vicious fight happening around them. But Luke had no choice in the matter, and they all knew it. Rickon knew Luke could not leave his family, and in all honesty he wouldn't want him to. "Force Luke, be careful."

Luke nodded, and went over to see how Leah was going. Leia had successfully freed her, but Leah, in typical fashion, looked more like she wanted to stay and fight then run away with Rickon. "Please Leah. I might not want you as a wife, but I do need you safe."

"This is all my fault," Leah whispered, panic and a scary sort of anger in her eyes. "Luke he's my…"

Her unnecessary confession got cut off with the sound of Vader getting thrown across the room and landing with a thud against the wall. Palpatine turned his attention quickly to his hostages, and sent out a bolt of Force lightning that landed only inches from Rickon's face. Leia rushed the Emperor, and Luke knew he had to follow her. If their father could be so easily tossed aside by the Sith, Leia would be toast. "Just go with Rickon. I'll see you soon!" Luke cried pushing Leah into Rickon's hands and not even turning to see them leave. All that mattered was that they were away from Palpatine. Both Rickon and Leah could handle the stormtroopers who would inevitably try to stop anyone running through the Imperial Palace. Luke wasn't sure anyone could handle Palpatine.

But he had to try anyways.

Luke called on the Force, focusing himself in it. He did not hate the Emperor, but he could not let this continue. It had to end. He ran at the man, and Palpatine spun with unnatural grace, knocking Leia aside like she was nothing as his blade met Luke's. "You have grown stronger than your father ever was."

"It is the strength of the Light Side," Luke hissed, but his arms were not nearly as strong as his voice. In fact they felt quite a bit like jell-o. Palpatine was strong, and it didn't matter that his strength was solely rooted in his Darkness, that strength was hard to fight. Luke could not just keep their blades locked until Leia or his father regained their strength and attacked; Luke would not win that fight.

Focusing all his years of gymnastics, Luke shut off his blade for a split second and flipped himself over to the other side of the room. Palpatine stumbled forward, but he regained his balance quickly enough to be unsurprised by Vader's attack.

"I can never spare my treacherous apprentice, but if you bow I will spare yours," Palpatine hissed, shifting his position so his blade burned into Vader's armor. Vader did not let out a cry; the man was far too used to pain. Luke, however, could feel it through their bond, and he acted with a dangerous fury. He ran at the Emperor trying desperately to get in a shot while his father distracted the man. But Palpatine was not fooled, and managed to effortlessly toss Luke across the room and onto his knees.

Leia ran over to help Luke up, and he noticed the horrified fear in her eyes. She was terrified, absolutely terrified, and Luke couldn't blame her. Even he hadn't realized how incredibly powerful Palpatine was. It was absurd. He doubted even a Grand Master like Yoda could beat Palpatine, and Luke was certainly not that skilled. Yet he had to defeat Palpatine. There was no one else to do it if they didn't. "Leia," Luke whispered under his breath. "Don't let your fear control you. He's trying to disorganize us, separate us. We need to attack him together, the three of us."

Leia nodded, but her breathing was heavy and ragged. Luke wasn't quite sure she could do this, and yet she had to. She might have the least training among them, but Palpatine didn't know she was a Skywalker. She was their secret weapon.

The twins turned to rush Sidious, but the Emperor somehow saw the move coming. He sheathed his blade before grabbing both Leia and Vader in Force Chokes. Luke froze in fear. Of all the Dark Side abilities, the ability to choke those who disappointed was his father's favorite. It was the ability that had always symbolized Vader's dark, oppressing reign. It was the ability he'd used on Luke during their darkest hour as Father and Son.

Luke could handle lightsabers. He could even handle his family tossed around like dogs. He couldn't handle watching Leia flail as Palpatine lifted her up, crushing her windpipe more each second. _Was this what Mother looked like in her last moments?_

"Lower your blade, submit to my power, and I will let the Princess live," Palpatine declared, a terrifying smile etched into his wrinkled, deformed, pallid face. "Make one step more and I will kill them both."

 _"DO NOT LISTEN TO HIM SON, STRIKE!"_

His father's voice was loud in Luke's head, but so was the pounding terror coming from Leia. Luke did not have the ability to strike down Palpatine before he could kill Luke's family. Luke wasn't fast enough or strong enough, or even good enough. Not really.

Luke dropped his blade, to the floor, and Palpatine tossed Leia aside as he called Luke's blade to him. The Emperor studied the green blade, but he did not drop Vader from the choke. Luke could feel his father slowly dying of asphyxiation, as each breath became more difficult than the last for a man whose lungs had been damaged for 18 years.

As if reading Luke's thought, Palpatine spoke again. "Your father must die one way or another. Strike him down with his own blade and the Princess can live as your concubine. Fail me again and I shall use both their deaths to turn you."

Leia had landed at an awkward angle, and her lightsaber arm had a piece of bone sticking out of it. Luke could feel her anguishing pain the same way he'd felt their father's, but Leia no longer looked scared. "Luke, we're not important. Don't fear losing us. Just end this."

Luke's heart pounded against his chest, but his eyes and mind focused. He could not fear loss, not like his father had. He could not be deceived by the Emperor. "Kill her. Kill us all. I will die a Jedi, a true Skywalker."

A new fury rose within the Emperor, and before Luke could even process what was happening, a barrage of Force Lightning struck him.

The pain was unbearable. It felt like every cell in Luke's body was on fire. The Midichlorians that gave him strength began to fry, and Luke could think of nothing but the pain. Suddenly death seemed like the greatest option possible. Oh how he wished the Emperor would just kill him already. Force he wanted to die.

A huge weight forced Luke to the side and onto the floor. The pain stopped, and Luke looked with horror expecting to see his father's life-support frying. Instead he found a far more beautiful sight. It had been his father that pushed Luke from the Emperor's path. He had been willing to sacrifice everything for Luke, but they had not been alone. Leia, in all her fear and pain, had managed to grip their father's blue saber in her unbroken hand, and ram it between the lightning and their father. The blade easily absorbed the electricity, even shooting some of it back at the sender.

Luke took advantage of the confusion and called his own blade back to him, igniting it in the air, and running it straight through Palpatine.

The lightning stopped. Palpatine fell forward onto the blade's hilt, and the metal tore through the human killing him instantly. The heat of a lightsaber cauterized wounds, but not when they were widened by the blade's hilt.

The three Skywalkers stared at each other unsure if it truly could be over. Finally, however, Leia regained her senses and sheathed her blade, and Luke recalled his bloody weapon to his side. He didn't feel good knowing he'd killed the Emperor, but it had been their only choice. A man like that was never defenseless.

Luke turned to thank his father for saving his life, and saw only the edge of his father's cape billowing out of the doorway. A feeling a dread echoed through the Force, and Luke and Leia ran after their father. He was already halfway down the hallway by the time they even made it out of the room, and so the two broke into a run after him. Courtiers and stormtroopers moved to the side, desperate to get out of all their paths, but Vader walked too fast. By the time Luke and Leia, even with Force-induced speed, caught up to their father, he was already in the throne room.

Luke skidded to a stop, his heard dropping to his feet. Leia kept moving closer, looking ready to demand answers, but Luke grabbed her in time. There were no answers to be held. Luke knew exactly what was happening. The Emperor had been defeated, but the Darkness in their father had not. The battle between power and family still raged within Vader, and so did the Dark Side.

The courtiers and other onlookers had followed them into the throne room, and so there was plenty of confused chatter. It all died down, however, when Lord Darth Vader climbed up on the Emperor's Dias and sat down in the Imperial Throne, "Emperor Palpatine has been killed by rogue Jedi. I have destroyed them, but it was too late for me to save my master."

Luke hadn't even noticed the presence of Admiral Cassel in the crowd, but the Admiral was the first person to drop to his knees. Everyone else quickly followed, until only Luke and Leia were left standing and the crowd began their chant, "Long Live Emperor Vader."


	28. Chapter 28

Disclaimer: Luke does a little 'doctoring' in this chapter that is in no shape or form based on actual knowledge of what to do with broken bones and should never, ever, ever be attempted. Don't worry. I didn't forget you!

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Chapter 28

Luke and Leia had no idea what to do, and so they remained standing in silence until the chant died down and Vader dismissed his new subjects. Luke could feel his sister's brewing anger, and he attempted to send her tendrils of peace. Things weren't necessarily as bad as they seemed. It was possible their father just wanted to make sure there was no power vacuum or chaos. They hadn't had a chance to speak with their father so they couldn't know for sure that he was just seizing power indiscriminately…

Yeah. Even to Luke the excuse was weak. He knew his father well enough to know it was almost definitely as bad as it seemed.

Once everyone cleared out of the room, Vader stood and actually acknowledged his children. "If the Emperor's body was discovered before I took the throne we would be in far too much danger. Now everyone will know not to cross our family."

"What family?" Luke asked his voice cracking under the residual pain from their fight. "Leia and I cannot let this war continue, you know that. We should have killed the Emperor and run away while we still has a chance. You've chosen power over your family again."

His father was angered by Luke's words but did not strike out. That was good at least. His father had been calling on the Dark Side a lot during their fight, but he still had enough control not to lash out at his children. That was good. "I do not want this war any more than you do. The two of you shall return to the Alliance tonight. Convince the High Command to come and arrange a peace treaty with me. I will concede the existence of a Senate with Leia as Chancellor, and we can work towards peace."

There was something off about his father's Force presence, but it didn't really feel like deceit. Luke knew his father well enough to know that perhaps he'd just been making split second accusations. Maybe things weren't as bad as they seemed.

Leia seemed shocked as well. "You want… what?"

"You two must return to the Alliance immediately. I wish to draw up the treaty before Palpatine's funeral. A fitting end to his legacy."

Luke and Leia stared at their father. He clearly was still immersed in the Dark Side, and yet he was speaking of peace and sharing power with the Senate. They didn't quite know what to make of it and yet… and yet.

Yet Luke loved his father more than anything, and Leia cared enough to have saved his life. They both wanted to believe what Vader was saying, and they sensed no deceit in the Force. "Alright," Luke agreed. "We'll go immediately… Father, I could stay. High Command trusts Leia more than they do me. I know the politics of Coruscant I could help you."

Vader shook his head, "Things will be volatile tonight. I do not want either of you here. I will be fine, but you two must go."

Leia nodded and prepared to go, but Luke lingered. It felt wrong to leave their father alone in this dark hour and yet… Luke could not stay and be a constant worry for his father. He needed to help Leia, and help the galaxy. "We'll be back as soon as possible Father," Luke finally promised before running after his sister.

It was the middle of the day, but Coruscant looked dark. As Luke and Leia made their way back to the Falcon they watched as dozens of shopkeepers began to turn off their lights and close up. Stormtroopers patrolled the streets in tight formations, and even the lanes of speeder traffic seemed to be thinning out.

"Make sure to keep your saber hidden," Luke reminded Leia grabbing her arm. She let out a cry of pain and Luke suddenly felt horrible. How in the galaxy had he forgotten? "Oh kriff, Leia stop. We need to get you to a healer."

"We don't have time," Leia answered gritting her teeth. The bone was still protruding a bit from her skin, however, so Luke wasn't about to listen. He pulled off his sleeves and tied a sling out of them before, gently, grabbing Leia's arm. "Luke you're just going to make it worse."

Perhaps, but Luke knew what he was doing. One of the girls on his gymnastics team had fallen from the uneven bars and ended up with a very similar injury. He still remembered what coach had done to set it until the medics showed up. Gripping the two pieces together Luke popped the broken one back in so that at least the bleeding could begin to stop. Needing more fabric Luke ripped his pant legs, and then he found a plastic coat-hanger someone had tossed from a window. He used the bottom of the hanger as a splint, and tied the bandage tightly around. "There," Luke answered helping her into the splint. "That should hold until we can get you into some Bacta."

Leia nodded her head, but Luke noticed her biting her tongue. Clearly she was in a lot of pain. He reached out through the Force, stripping back the layers of pain and helping her release it into the Force. As he did, Leia visibly relaxed. "Thank you."

"That's what big brothers are for," Luke promised as they began walking again. He wasn't paying that much attention, however, mostly concerned with Leia's health, so he didn't notice the patrol of stormtroopers until they rounded the corner right into them.

"Hey!" one of the troopers yelled. "Emergency curfew is in place. Where are you two going?"

Curfew? How had they already managed to put the planet under curfew? Moreover why had they? Did his father order it? Luke shook his head. Yeah, perhaps it was best his father had taken control before the chaos got worse. "My name is Luke Skywalker, son of Emperor Vader. We are heading to the shipyard to carry out a confidential mission for my father."

A couple of the troopers shifted uncomfortably, but their leader, of course, was an idiot. "Yeah, and I'm Palpatine's son. You're coming with us."

Leia bristled, but Luke simply rolled his eyes. For someone who got reported on so often by the Holonet, he certainly had a lot of people not believe his identity. "Very well, lead us to the Detention Center, give Admiral Cassel a heart attack, and then you can escort us to the shipyard."

They did. Despite his squad's reservations, the lead trooper insisted on escorting Luke and Leia to the detention center. Admiral Cassel was up to his eyeballs in work establishing a curfew, but he was wise enough to personally check in on 'some impostor pretending to be Prince Skywalker.' After all, it wasn't the first time Luke had ended up in one of his holding cells.

"Force Luke," the Admiral cried opening the cell. "I mean, your highness… ah…" He looked over at Leia, clearly recognizing the Rebel leader. "Ah, what's going on?"

"Admiral Cassel is Rickon's dad," Luke quietly explained to his sister. "And I'll always be Luke for you, Admiral. This is simply another misunderstanding. Leia is under my father's protection."

The Admiral, always obedient, nodded, "Of course, your highness. Where were you heading when my troopers picked you up, I'll have someone give you a ride."

"We're heading the shipyard… Admiral, have you heard from Rickon at all today?"

The Admiral's look grew dark, "I haven't heard from him in nearly a week. I've been comming him but… Have you seen him?"

Luke nodded, "A few hours ago. If you hear from him tell him or Leah please tell them to go to my apartment. That's probably the best place for them right now."

"Is he in trouble?"

"Not anymore, but it's best we all just take extra precautions right now."

The Admiral took Luke's words to heart, and gave the Imperial Prince two escort vehicles. It annoyed him and Leia to no end, but the Admiral had also had a medic properly set and cast Lea's arm, so Luke was actually glad they'd been picked up.

Flying over Coruscant Luke couldn't believe how dead everything looked. Within their homes people were watching the news non-stop, but the streets were dead. It appeared the only ones out where the Stormtroopers.

"This doesn't look like democracy to me," Leia whispered looking over the dark planet. "I've never seen Coruscant like this."

Neither had Luke, but then again neither of them had been alive the last time the coup occurred. "Father's probably just trying to keep people safe. Better everyone stay home than riots break out. Once the treaty is signed things will get better. We just need to hurry with getting High Command to agree."

Leia nodded, and they landed in the shipyard. The planet was, of course, blockaded, but Luke had all the codes he needed to make sure they got off planet with no problem. So long as Han didn't do something stupid that was.

Han had done something stupid. When Luke and Leia made their way onto the Falcon, they found Han and Chewie pointing blasters at Rickon and Leah, who, of course, also had found blasters. "You think you can just mind trick me. I'm not weak minded."

"And I'm not trained," Leah hissed, "But you're the only ship that is on the fly list for Force knows what reason, and so you will give us this ship."

"Leah chill," Luke called out shocking everyone into blasting him. Lucky he was good with a lightsaber. "The Falcon is cleared because, at the moment, it's Leia and my transport, and my father must have made sure it was cleared."

Leah and Rickon, who obviously had been out of the loop since running from Palpatine, stared at Luke. Finally Rickon spoke, "You're alive. He didn't kill you… how are you alive?"

"He's dead," Leah whispered, her voice shaking ever so slightly. "Force he's dead. You killed him."

Luke remembered her almost confession, and so he tried not to feel hurt when Rickon was the one to comfort her and not him. "I'm sorry Leah. I had no choice… not after what he did to you and Rickon."

"Thank you," Rickon answered for her, all the while not letting Leah out of his arms. "So… are we safe now?"

Was anyone ever truly safe? "There's a couple squads of your dad's men outside. They'll take you to my apartment. It's the safest place for you to lay low until things cool down. And you can call your father from there."

Rickon did not seem pleased, which worried Luke more than anything. What was he missing? "Luke your father is Emperor. He's still an Emperor and I'm a deserter from the Red Guard and she's Palpatine's…"

"You're right, of course," Luke interrupted still not quite ready to hear the words spoken aloud. She was still Leah of course but… well Luke could sort of understand why people would judge him based on his father. "You can tag along, wait with the Alliance. My father is talking about a peace treaty so the base won't be attacked. Of course, Han let's go."

Han and Chewie still had their blasters armed and ready. "Ah kid, are you sure…"

Luke wasn't sure of anything anymore, but he knew it was time to get off Coruscant. "Please. Leia still needs to get in a bacta tank…"

"You're the one who got electrocuted!" Leia objected, and Luke actually felt renewed pain at the reminder. "Han, let's please go."

There were no more debates, no more questions. Luke offered the codes they needed to get out of the locked-down system, and then retired to one of the quarters. Everyone Luke cared about was safe for the time being, and Luke was just ready for a nap.

Leia woke Luke up when they arrived at the Alliance base. She'd already commed in, so when they arrived both Luke and Leia found themselves unwillingly dragged towards the Medicenter for evaluation. In the end neither of them ended up in Bacta tanks, mostly because there would have been lightsabers drawn had someone tried to force the issue. Instead they just got patched up, and the rest of High Command met them there.

"We would like to thank you both for the part you have played in Palpatine's defeat, and assure you that your friends have been given safe quarters," Mothma began. "We are concerned, however, as to the kind of oppressive control your father has already placed Coruscant under."

Ah. So it was his father's orders. Luke got ready to defend his father's decisions, but Leia spoke up first, "He's trying to maintain control until things get settled. It's not optimal, but it's understandable. He is trying for peace. He wants to see all of High Command and arrange a treaty to reestablish the Senate."

Mothma and the others were, understandably, suspicious, "What makes you think that this isn't just a trap to bring all of his enemies together?"

"Because…" Leia looked over at her brother. "Because there is good in him. During our fight with Palpatine I saved his life because Luke's right. He's not all bad. He's just trying to bring his family together in a safe galaxy. And I can't deny anymore that I am part of that family. If nothing else I think he knows turning on the Alliance means Luke and me turning on him, and I don't think he wants that."

Mothma was shocked. She'd seen Leia's distress upon finding out the truth. She'd half expected Leia to assassinate Vader before they even approached Palpatine. But Leia claimed to trust Vader, to believe in him. If Leia, who had lost everything to Vader, could trust him, well then who were they not to. "I do not even think a vote is fair on this," Mothma declared. "I am going, and anyone else who wishes to join me may."

Not a single member of High Command stayed behind as the others loaded on the Falcon and began the journey back to Imperial Center.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Luke was slightly annoyed by how difficult it was to get a Com through to his father, but finally he managed it. Vader was clearly pleased to know that all of High Command was coming, and even agreed to go to the shipyard to greet them.

When the Falcon touched down, Luke and Leia took up the front of the party. Despite the cast keeping Leia from actually using it, her lightsaber hung from the belt of her dress. Mothma had helped her with her hair, and she looked… well she looked royal, which was probably good considering she was a princess two times over.

Han and Chewie decided it was best they stay on the Falcon (because they might still need a quick getaway), so behind Luke and Leia were Mothma and a dozen admirals and generals. They all came to a stiff stop in front of Emperor Vader, and the tension could easily have been cut. "I thank you for agreeing to meet with me," the Emperor finally declared. "My troopers will escort you to the palace. I would urge you not to wander off as the curfew has been lifted for the day and there are many in this city whose sons and daughters have been murdered at your hands."

It was not a particularly uplifting greeting, but Luke would have been concerned if it had been. They were not friends, and they never would be, but perhaps they could come to some sort of peace. Inspired by this hope, Luke went to follow the rest of High Command, but his father stopped him. "You and Leia have not stopped since our fight. You are both still injured. I've already had rooms in the Palace prepared for you."

"Father…"

"This is not a request Luke," Vader assured his son. "You and Leia will not have a part in these negotiations until you both get some rest. Perhaps you are resistant to it, but I do not doubt Leia would easily be influenced to sleep should I want to."

Luke doubted that. Leia had been too strong minded for that to work since they were born. But they were both exhausted, and what got done on the first day of negotiations anyways? "I'll speak to her, but she doesn't listen to me more than she does you. You know she vouched for you to the rest of High Command. She's proud of you for doing this."

There was something in the look his father gave Luke that worried him, but he brushed it aside. They all had a lot on their plate at the moment; there were plenty of things to preoccupy the mind of Galactic Emperor.

"Leia," Luke called grabbing her (good) arm. "Wait. Father doesn't want us heading right into the talks. He wants us to get some rest while they deal with the formalities."

Yeah, she took that about as well as Luke expected her to. "He can't do that."

"Leia," Luke whispered not letting go as she tried to pull away. "Leia he can. He's not just our father. He's the Emperor. Until these talks go through he's still the Emperor and the talks aren't going to happen if we fight him on every little thing. Take a shower, get a few hours of sleep, and then we'll join them. You have barely slept in days. We need you sharp so you pick up on everything I miss. We both know I'm not good at this kind of stuff like you are."

She clearly wasn't happy, but Luke's words made sense. Plus she was exhausted, and in pain, and Luke was right. That might not make it any easier, but Luke was right. "Fine, but just this once. He can't just send me to bed and let the adults talk. He's not enough of my father to do that."

Luke couldn't help but smile. Leia was truly accepting that, on some level, Vader was their father, and the Darkness surrounding her diminished each time she did.

Luke wasn't thrilled with the idea of his new home being the Imperial palace, but he had to admit the accommodations were nicer than even Republica500. The whole wing they were in was empty accept for workers installing a hyperbaric chamber into one of the suits. Across from that suit was a single, ornate door that led into a plush and homey living room. The apartment also had full kitchen, and on either side were the bedrooms that included, of course, private freshers.

Luke and Leia parted ways, and Luke immediately jumped into the shower. The steamy water pulled of what seemed to be layers of dirt, grime, and blood. Luke hadn't even realized how sore he was until he felt the heat slowly undoing all the knots in his back. Getting hit by Force Lightning hurt, and just the memories of it hindered Luke's breathing. He hadn't had time to process it, but everyone he loved had almost died. Leia, his father, even Leah and Rickon almost died because Luke just about wasn't good enough. The Emperor had been so confused by Leia's willingness to save Vader that Luke had gotten lucky. He'd gotten lucky and killed.

And Luke didn't feel bad about it, which scared him. He'd always felt bad about killing when he was with the Alliance, but suddenly… it had seemed so easy, so… so just. The Sith wanted chaos and death and Luke had stopped that. He had done the right thing, but it was still scary to know that he felt nothing over a man's death.

As Luke's thoughts digressed the water no longer felt very warm. Turning off the water, Luke sensed his father in his bedroom, but by the time Luke grabbed a towel and went to see the room was empty.

Someone had brought some of Luke's clothes from the apartment over, so he found some pajamas and was crawling into bed to take a nap when Leia walked right in. "Did you take my lightsaber?"

"You realize I could have been naked, right," Luke told his sister climbing out of bed not-at-all annoyed. "And why would I take yours. Mine is right he…" Luke broke off as he rummaged through his stuff trying to find the blade. "I swear I left it right here."

The scowl on Leia's face could kill someone. "Someone stole them. Someone stole our lightsabers. I'll kill them."

Luke figured she didn't actually mean it, so, as her master, he ignored her. As her brother who'd also had his saber stolen, yeah he was pretty annoyed as well. "How could someone have even got in here? You saw the guards father had following us, I can guarantee they've been standing outside the whole time. There aren't even weird Force-user tunnels in here. I checked."

"So did I," Leia admitted. "But neither of our sabers are where we left them, and so someone took it. Maybe it was a guard."

As if a guard was stupid enough to steal two lightsabers from the new Emperor's children. (Even if Leia had yet to be publicized as Vader's daughter). "Let's just go ask the guards if anyone else has been in here. Give me a minute to change though."

Leia finally noticed Luke's outfit and, after rolling her eyes, went to wait in the common area. Luke changed quickly and joined her, but when he tried to pull open the door to the rest of the palace, it wouldn't budge. "Hey!" Luke cried pounding on it. "Is anyone out there? We're locked in."

"I'm sorry your highness," a calm voice called back from the other side. "But we have been ordered not to open this door."

What? "Ordered, by who? I'm the Imperial Prince!"

"I am aware, your highness," the guard replied, sounding slightly compassionate. "But the order was from your father, the Emperor, himself. He came out only a few minutes ago and made it very clear no one but him was to go in or out."

Kriff. Luke did not like the sound of this, and neither did Leia. "Please," the called, her voice sounding pained. "It's my arm. I think the wound beneath my cast has re-opened."

"The Emperor said you might say something like that," the guard replied sounding oddly smug for some stupid Imperial Guard. (Okay, Luke was annoyed). "He said if there was something truly wrong you had a way of contacting him."

He really knew his children too well. Pretending to need help was the most ancient trick of prisoners, and where Luke and Leia could just call out through the Force should something be seriously wrong…

"We're his kriffing prisoners," Leia hissed kicking one of the chairs. (Which could not have felt good.) "Something is seriously wrong."

Yeah, Luke kind of got that from the fact that their father had come into their rooms, stolen their lightsabers, and then locked them in their new apartment. Luke looked around for any sort of window or connection to the HoloNet, but there was nothing.

 _Father_ Luke mentally growled. He could not believe that after everything their father was just locking them in their room. Something told Luke this was about more than making sure they got sleep. No, something was seriously wrong, and his father had some explaining to do.

 _It is for your own protection,_ their father's voice responded, and Luke realized from the shocked look on Leia's face that she could hear it too. _There are many calling for the heads of High Command, Leia's included. I need you to protect each other until the riots die down._

 _How are we supposed to protect each other when you stole our lightsabers,_ Leia pointed out, and their bond was truly three-way because Luke heard it loud and clear.

 _By staying put. Luke simply would have used his blade to cut a hole in the wall, and you cannot even wield a blade with your arm like that. Now I must go. Behave and I will update you on proceedings soon._

"He's put his own children under house arrest," Leia grumbled plopping down on one of the couches. Luke, unsure what else to do, sat down across from her. "Luke this doesn't feel right."

"I know," he admitted. If their father wanted Luke protecting Leia he would have left Luke's lightsaber. Luke had been yelled at a dozen times for being unsafe and not having his lightsaber around. His father would never just leave Luke defenseless. "He's lying to us… Wait!" Luke cried running into his room. Amid the boxes of stuff that had been brought over from the apartment were Luke's spare parts. Easily he rigged together pieces of two broken ComLinks, and the ready light blinked. As easily as if he'd been dialing his father, Luke plugged in Admiral Cassel's number, and the Admiral answered first ring.

"Admiral Cassel."

"Admiral, it's Luke. I wanted to let you know that I've spoken with Rickon. He's staying off-world with some friends of mine, but I assure you he is in no danger. Leah needed to get away for a while and Rickon has taken her."

The Admiral breathed a sigh of relief, "Thank you, your highness, for letting me know. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"Ah…" Luke pondered for a second how to best word it. If the Admiral (a very smart man) realized that Luke was out of the loop he would assume Luke was being kept out of the loop for a reason. "Tell me, how are the streets? Any bad riots?"

"Riots?" the Admiral replied sounding amused. "I think that's celebrating you hear, your highness. People are thrilled to know about the executions. Of course there are a few ruffled feathers that Organa is getting off after what she did to you, but your father did the honorable thing offering her amnesty."

Luke's heart was back in his feet, and he had to sit down. Oh Force. He and Leia had been so naïve, so stupid. "Ha ha, of course. Thank you admiral," Luke forced out before quickly ending the link.

Leia stared at him, her good hand shaking in anger, "He's killing them, isn't he? We just led all of High Command into a trap! He doesn't want peace! HE'S GOING TO KILL THEM ALL!"

There was no question as to who the 'them' was. Their father had used them to bring the Alliance High Command to their death. After everything Vader was still dedicated to his war against the Alliance, and he was going to see them destroyed because Luke and Leia were stupid enough to trust their father.

"They probably think I knew," Leia whispered a new fear alight in her eyes. "That's what he's saying. He's telling everyone I turned the rest of High Command in for amnesty! I'm a traitor."

Luke moved across the room to grab her hand and kneel besides her. "Leia, we didn't know. You are not a traitor. We will stop him. We won't let him kill anyone else."


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

When Darth Vader showed up at his children's apartment he was hoping they'd be quietly asleep. They, of course, were not. Instead Luke and Leia sat in the dark on the couch with their fury palpable. "I see despite my best efforts you have not remained ignorant."

"You used us to draw High Command here. They trusted us, and you're going to kill them," Luke plainly answered. "How could you do this? We're the only family you have! WHY ARE WE NEVER ENOUGH?"

Their father flicked on the lights with the Force, "You are both being melodramatic children. I deceived you because you are too young to understand that Republicanism doesn't work. The galaxy is not responsible enough to run itself. I am not like Sidious. I will make the galaxy better instead of crushing it beneath me. And someday this galaxy will fall to you Luke, and perhaps you will have a son who doesn't understand what needs to be done, and then you will forgive me for deceiving you. I am simply making this galaxy safe for us to be together."

"You keep saying the same thing, and I don't think you even realize that you're lying to yourself! We were safe. We were safe the moment the Death Star was destroyed, even safer after Palpatine was dead. We could have left, gone to Naboo, lived a life. Instead we'll never see peace. You think you're protecting people from themselves, but you're crushing them. You're crushing us," Luke pleaded, but he knew his father wasn't listening. His father might love his family, but he was unable to choose his family over power. That was what kept him immersed in the Dark Side.

And their father did not care. "I shall ensure someone brings you meals. Perhaps once the executions are over you will begin to think with clearer heads and I will release you," their father answered moving from the door, and, much to everyone's surprise, Leia tossed the plastic cup she'd been drinking from at him.

"You realize you walk out that door and you're walking onto a path we can't follow. We will be your enemies again, and your donated genes will mean nothing when we bring you down as we did Palpatine."

Their father didn't even turn around; he just slammed the door behind him.

The walls of the Imperial Palace were good. Perhaps their lightsabers could break through them, but no amount of punching, kicking, or ramming seemed to damage them at all. It simply made the twins very, very sore.

Unable to take it any longer Luke fell asleep on the coach, and he awoke to the sound of shattering glass. Fumbling for a moment before remembering he didn't have his lightsaber, Luke followed the sound of Leia's screeching voice to figure out the disturbance.

It appeared that Leia had thrown another cup, this time a glass one, at their 'intruder'. Han Solo stood feet-to-shoulders in stormtrooper armor, the helmet at his feet (along with the shattered glass). "Was that really necessary?" Han asked. "I've been looking for you two for hours. Chewie saw on the HoloNet that High Command had been arrested immediately, and I figured you two weren't just going along with it."

"And so you decided to come rescue us wearing that?" Leia huffed, but she was, obviously, relieved. The door was open and their guards unconscious at Chewie's feet. Finally they had a way out.

"You coming?" Luke asked the bickering love-birds motioning to their way out. "Because sooner or later Father is going to realize we're gone, and I'd like to be far away by that time."

Leia looked like she was going to throw something at Luke too, but she just stalked out of their apartment. It was the middle of the night so few people were around, and they made it out of the Palace easily. Few people challenge the Imperial Prince, and, apparently, Luke's face had been extra-prominent on the HoloNet since his father claimed the throne.

"Where are you going?" Han whispered as Luke began heading for the speeder-bay and away from the shipyard.

"We can't just leave," Luke reminded Han who, for all his bravery, could be a bit of a coward. "And my father has surely put precautions in place to ensure we can't just walk in and free High Command. So we need a different plan."

Han looked at Luke as if he'd gone insane which, granted, he might have. "What kind of plan?"

Leia, however, had the benefit of Force-induced twin telepathy. Her shoulders pulled back as she realized Luke's plan, but she followed him towards the speeders, "We need to force his hand. Emperor Vader has told the galaxy that I made a deal- my life for the rest of High Command. If they know he's lied he will be forced to either kill me along with them, or let them all go."

"You two are kriffing insane!" Han cried, but it didn't stop Luke and Leia from continuing along their path. Han and Chewie fought for a minute, but they too ended up following the twins into the first speeder Luke managed to hot-wire.

Luke knew all of the news stations on Coruscant. He knew which ones liked to talk about his 'brilliant career' and which ones like to paint him as a delinquent rebel. He also knew that there was only one on all of Coruscant smart enough never to write about him.

The Imperial Center Sentinel was quite a ride from the Palace, and so Luke worried the place would be empty by the time he arrived. There was still a speeder in the lot, however, and a singular light on above a desk. Han and Chewie decided to keep watch outside, as they all knew Vader surely realized they were gone, and Luke and Leia went inside.

The Sentinel was a respectable paper, if a small one. The newsroom was actually just a room with a dozen or so desks. Luke and Leia made their way over to the one occupied desk, starling its occupant. "It's alright," Luke told the woman. She was young, probably only a few years older than he and Leia, but her chocolate eyes sparkled with a new intelligence none could deny. "I'm…"

"Prince… Prince Skywalker," she stuttered trying to stand and make an awkward sort of bow. "And you're Leia Organa. I… Ah… What can I do for you, your highness?"

Leia gave Luke a look, clearly doubting that this woman could help them, but Luke had faith. Perhaps it was odd for him to have faith after his father's blatant betrayal, but Luke still trusted people. He could not lose that. "Has your morning edition gone out to the printers yet?"

She shook her head, her dark locks getting stuck in front of her face. "No, ah, your highness. I'm making the last edits then bringing it over. I'm the editor-in-chief you know."

Clearly she was proud to hold the title at such a young age, and that proved to Luke that she was exactly what he needed, "Good. Then you have the power to approve a new front page story. But tell me Miss…"

"Jones."

"Tell me Miss Jones, your paper has no social or celebrity section. Is that because you're dedicated to telling the truth, or is your budget just too small?"

The woman's answer was to reach into her desk and pull out a notebook. Luke, smiling motioned for Leia to grab them both chairs. They had one heck of a story to tell.

Emperor Vader got the call that his children had just appeared back in their rooms the same time the first Sentinel hit a doorstep. By the time he made it all the way back to the Palace he was too bogged down in calls to even go and properly yell at the twins. When he did reach them, however, he had gone far past the point of fury. Luke actually found himself stepping between their father and Leia.

Vader dropped the Sentinel on the ground, and Leia's picture blared out from the cover. "You're suicidal then? Because I now have EVERY MOFF, ADMIRAL AND FORMER SENATOR CALLING FOR YOUR EXECUTION!"

Luke and Leia had been prepared for this reaction, of course, and they stood their ground. Their father had to choose his family or power. Their fate was in his hands. "If you are is truly on the side of the right in destroying the leaders of the Alliance, then you _must_ give equal treatment to all members of the High Command. You must execute me, your daughter, as well. I will not allow the people of this galaxy think that I condone the execution of my friends! Pick. You either execute us all or execute none of us and let the Republic return!"

Vader clenched his gloved first. "Go. I went to arrest you and you had already escaped."

"No," Leia answered sitting down on the couch. "I have not escaped. I am not fleeing for my life. Everyone knows now that I'm your daughter. So pick, do you want to be the Emperor, or do you want to be a father?"

Their father stood still for a moment, but when he decided Luke felt it. Luke felt it and cried. "Father please!"

"Guards," Vader called, and a platoon of stormtroopers marched into the apartment. "Arrest the Princess for treason against the Empire. She has confessed to her crimes and will be executed at high noon with the rest of Alliance High Command."

"Father!" Luke cried, but he found himself unable to get up. His father was actually daring to not only execute his daughter, but hold his son in place with the Force to keep Luke from interfering.

Leia turned back to her brother, and gave him a brave nod. "It's okay Luke. It's not your fault. We both knew what he might decide," she admitted as two troopers grabbed her arms. She cringed in pain as they grabbed her cast, but she managed to shake them off as well. "I'm glad I got to know the truth. I'm glad you're my brother."

Luke struggled against his father's Force-bonds, and managed to break free. His father, however, was still far larger than Luke, and simply grabbed his teen son. Luke kicked his father hard as he could, but, of course, he was simply kicking a metal leg. There wasn't much of his father that was human.

"How can you do this?" Luke cried, tears of fear and anger burning on his cheeks. He'd loved his father. He would have done anything for his father. He thought his father loved them too. "She's your daughter!"

Vader nodded, "And you are the son I've raised for seven years. I cannot let her destroy you. I am doing this for you Luke. Because of your recklessness I am faced with the choice between fighting two rebellions and killing Leia. It was your decision that brought her death. You should have just listened and stayed here. You both would have been safe."

"We were never safe," Luke spit, a dangerous sort of fury within him. For the first time in months Luke was actually tempted to accept the Dark Side, to open himself up to its power. He could use Force Lightning then, turn on his father, destroy him. Then Luke would be Emperor and he could save Leia. If Luke was Emperor no one could ever hurt Leia again.

 _No!_ Leia's voice called within Luke's head. He wasn't even sure whether or not it was actually his sister, but knowing that she wasn't dead, not yet, calmed him down. _You cannot start thinking like that. All shall be as the Force wills it. You taught me that. Don't give up now._

Luke might not have been able to push past his father and out the door, but he pulled backwards towards his room. "We weren't safe from the moment you chose the Dark Side, and now we never will be. It's too late."

"I know. You will now hate me for the rest of your days, but you will be alive to do so," his father simply replied before closing the door. Luke heard the hiss of a lightsaber, and instinctively stepped away from the door. His father's blade struck through the door's control panel, frying it far past the point of a hot-wiring. Luke was not getting out himself, and he didn't doubt the security outside would be far too much for Han.

No, no Luke was stuck in his room, and Leia was stuck in prison, and they were both dying.


	31. Chapter 31

And now, the apex of my Poor Luke Series is here!

* * *

Chapter 31

Luke did not expect his door to open within a day, never mind just a few hours. Admiral Cassel and a platoon of stormtroopers stood outside, their uniforms slightly dusty from the explosion needed to open Luke's door. (His father sure knew how to make a grounding effective). "Your father requested we escort you to the execution," the Admiral explained. His eyes were down ever-so-slightly, and Luke bit his cheek to keep from ordering his old friend to look him in the eyes. The teen knew doing so would be wrong and a blatant abuse of power, but it still made him furious. Admiral Cassel had known Luke since he was just a kid. He'd been the closest thing to a family friend they had. Now he was escorting Luke to his sister's execution, and didn't even have the courage to look Luke in the eye. It just wasn't fair that everything had changed so much.

"Ah, so my father plans on making me watch him slaughter my sister, how kind," Luke spit back bitterly before holding out his arms. "I'm assuming he sent you with Force-dampening binders?"

The Admiral shook his head, looking more than a little confused. Luke couldn't blame him; he was confused as well. (Though granted they were confused by different things). "Why would your father request that?"

"Because my father knows me well enough to know that I intend to kill him before letting him destroy Leia," Luke answered bitterly as he started to walk from the room. His escorts quickly surrounded him, but they made no move against him even as he described treason.

Admiral Cassel didn't look half as non-chalet about the whole situation, but, then again, he didn't have a mask to hide his face. "Luk… your highness, you shouldn't make jokes about that. I understand of course, but the position has changed now that your father is Emperor."

"Admiral, I am not joking," Luke answered simply, and this time a couple of his stormtrooper guards did turn the Admiral with looks of concern. (Or perhaps not, again masks means no facial expressions, but they did turn to the Admiral). "If Emperor Vader has truly chosen to cement his power by executing his own daughter, then he is no longer my father. He is simply an imposter wearing the corpse of my father, and he will pay for killing every member of my family. I would never joke about that."

The Admiral shifted awkwardly, obviously convinced by Luke's raging calm that the teen was telling the truth. He did not act against the Imperial Prince, however, because he had been ordered to ensure Luke made it to the execution no matter what Luke did. Perhaps Luke was right and Emperor Vader did know his son's plans. It was the only logical explanation for why the Admiral would have received such specific orders. But then where was the logic for that? Would it not be wiser to keep Luke locked up until after the Executions at which point the Emperor would simply have to seek forgiveness? It certainly did not fit with what the Admiral knew of Vader's parenting style.

But then again the Admiral had never truly understood Darth Vader, even if he'd spent years keeping an eye on Luke. There was surely another layer of Vader's plans that explained why he would force Luke to witness his own sister's death. As much as the Admiral was glad to see the Rebels die, he'd been shocked to discover the princess was Luke's sister. And while that might not change the Admiral's willingness to see her face death for her crimes, even he thought it was cruel to make Luke watch. He was certainly glad Rickon wouldn't be there.

Luke could have used his friend, however. He could have used any sort of help at all. He didn't have a clue where his lightsaber was, and while he could always steal a blaster and just shoot Vader, the Emperor would easily be able to deflect the bolt. It was a very poor situation in which Luke found himself, but that did not weaken his resolve. Luke knew it was selfish, but he did not wish to live as Vader's prisoner should the execution proceed as planned. Luke would much rather die fighting for the Light of the galaxy than live a Prince in a tower. Because he would never, ever forgive Emperor Vader should Leia be killed, and Luke would just keep trying until one of them died. Luke had believed in the good within his father for so long, but that good had always been his love for his family. If Vader would kill his own family, then that good was gone, and Luke had no choice but to fight the Darkness. It was his duty as a Jedi.

The executions were to be held in the square in front of the Palace. It seemed to Luke as if all of Coruscant, and most of the neighboring planets, had come out to see the Alliance High Command fall. Predictions of a Rebel retaliation were rampant, and so the entire Death Squadron along with every guard, trooper, and officer on Coruscant, were on high alert. To Luke, however, everyone just meshed together into a shocking display of white-and black. The only color he could see was the crimson red of the Imperial Guard, but even they seemed like no more than blurs of color. Every cell of Luke's body was screaming that something was very, very wrong, which he thought to be obvious. Leia and the other members of High Command were being dragged into the light of the square. They looked ragged and disheveled, but there was still an air of power that demanded respect. Even the crowd, which had began screaming and haggling the Rebels, silenced quickly under their power. It was a terrifying sight.

But not as terrifying as the knowledge of why they were there. " _Don't worry Leia, I won't let this happen."_

Leia looked around frantically upon hearing Luke's voice, and she finally caught sight of him behind the mass of guards. _"Once I am gone you must defeat Vader. This bloodshed cannot continue. He is no father."_

Luke knew that very well.

His eyes scanned the crowd looking for the tall domineering figure of Emperor Vader. The Emperor has declared he would personally carry out the executions as a sign of his commitment to justice, no matter who the foe was. All that said to Luke was that Vader planned on cutting off Leia's head with his own lightsaber; Luke was not about to allow that to happen.

But before Luke could stop his father, Luke had to find his father. Emperor Vader was nowhere in sight, something the whole crowd was beginning to notice. There was no billowing cape on the steps of the palace, no scarlet saber striking fear into the hearts of its victims. There was no sign at all of Emperor Vader. Not when the prisoners were brought out. Not when high-noon came and passed, and not in the minutes following it.

It was a good thing there were so many guards around, because everyone grew restless as more and more time passed without the Emperor's arrival. The execution could not be continued without his final decree, and yet he was nowhere in sight. In fact, word quickly spread that no one had seen him since first thing in the morning when he dismissed Admiral Cassel and then went for a walk through the city.

The feeling of dread sunk deeper and deeper within Luke. He hadn't felt such dread since Alderaan's destruction, and the dread wasn't centered around Leia. No, no there was something wrong with his father.

The crowd began to shuffle around Luke, and he looked expecting to see his father. There was still no sign of the Emperor, however. It appeared the crowd was looking at the billowing clouds of smoke forming from a few blocks away. Forming over…

Luke didn't even take a second to regard his confused guards, he just slipped through their ranks and took off at a run towards the smoke, towards the Jedi Temple from where the smoke came. If someone had set the temple on fire…

Luke's guards weren't completely stupid, and ran after the Prince. In fact the whole crowd started trying to move the few blocks over to see what was going on. Luke was the first to arrive however. Luke was the first one to know.

Luke had spent all morning thinking about how he'd kill his father, but faced with the sight before him he fell to his knees before the flames. Hot, tears spilled over, and Luke was tempted to just walk into the fire himself. Of all the scenarios he'd imagined, Luke never, ever, ever imagined this.

Admiral Cassel and the others caught up to Luke, and skid to a stop behind him. No one could believe the sight before them. A pyre burned brightly in front of the derelict Jedi temple, the unmistakable form of Darth Vader fueling the flames. Standing on either side of the pyre were Yoda and Ahsoka, both with their hands on their heads and weapons on the ground. A few sensible guards rushed forward to grab the Jedi, and found themselves facing no resistance. The assassins did not wish to escape punishment for their sins, especially not when looking upon the crushed teen before them.

"Luke," Admiral Cassel, the only one courageous and kind enough to approach the shaking boy, whispered. "Luke I'm so sorry, but you need to stay strong. Now is not the time to grieve."

Luke heard the words, but they didn't make sense to him. How could he not grieve? How could he grieve? His father could not be dead. He couldn't be. Every one of Luke's senses told him that that was his father's corpse on the pyre, but it could not be possible. Luke could not believe it, especially not when Admiral Cassel grabbed his shoulders to try and force him up.

"No!" Luke screamed, reaching out into the flames to pull his father's body out. "He's dying, we need to help him," Luke cried pulling with all his might even as the flesh burned off his metal skin. The hand might not be real, but the pain was, and yet Luke didn't stop. He wanted the pain, he liked feeling every cell in his hand burning, because it hurt so much less than knowing his father was gone. His father could not just be gone. Not when Luke and he had never settled their differences. Not like this.

Admiral Cassel was familiar with the notion of a psychotic break, and he was aware that others in the gathering crowd were as well. They could not see Luke with his hand in the fire desperately trying to save a dead man. Not anymore. With all his might, the Admiral pulled Luke backwards, both of them falling to the ground. Luke struggled to move back towards his father, but the teen was still small enough that he did not manage to break from Cassel's grip. "Luke stop, you need to stop," the Admiral whispered in his ear. "He's gone Luke. He was dead before they put him on the pyre. He's gone. You'll have time to grieve later, but right now you need to come together. Your father was Emperor, and now he's dead. You are his heir Luke. You need to come together before the whole galaxy falls apart with you."

The Admiral's words registered, but Luke still tried to shake them from his mind. His father could not just be dead. Luke was not Emperor, because his father was not dead. "Let me go! I order you."

"You haven't declared yourself Emperor yet," the Admiral, for all his good intentions, was not speaking kindly to Luke. Luke did not need kindness. He needed anger to get through this. "You cannot order me to do anything. You can't order me to let you go or to stop the executions. Someone has probably already gone and blasted High Command. Nothing is illegal with no Emperor."

"I'm the Emperor!" Luke declared pulling away from the Admiral, who this time let go. Luke stumbled forward a bit, but his sight cleared. There were thousands of people gathered there. Thousands of people who hated Leia and Ahsoka and all of the others. Thousands of people who'd destroy the galaxy and all Luke had left to love if he didn't stop them. "I, Luke Skywalker, heir to Darth Vader, am the Emperor. And from this moment forward the punishment of death shall not be permissible in my Empire. I WILL HAVE NO MORE DEATH." Luke couldn't stop himself; he looked away from the crowd and back towards the flames. His father's armor was beginning to melt, distorting the figure beneath. All that was truly distinguishable was his father's mask, his father's face, and even that was disappearing before Luke's eyes. His father was truly gone, slipping away with the crackling flames, and leaving Luke burnt up inside.


	32. Chapter 32

I figured if I waited until I got home to update you would all get murderous, so here you go.

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Chapter 32

Luke sat curled up in a ball on the Imperial Throne. It was most definitely not how the Emperor of the Known Galaxy was supposed to sit, but Luke felt safe. When he buried his head in his knees, Luke could imagine he was back in Republica500, upset by something stupid math test, waiting for his father to come home and point out that Jedi did not need math.

Of course every time Luke lifted his tear-stained face and saw that he was still sitting on a cold throne in an empty room the pain only got worse. Luke just didn't understand how his father could be dead. It just didn't make sense. Perhaps Yoda and Ahsoka were powerful, but if they were so powerful how come they hadn't destroyed the 'terror of the Empire' years before? How come they'd never done something about Palpatine?

Luke had asked them that, actually. Well he technically screamed it at them, but the effect was the same. And their answer just upset Luke more "It's what Anakin wanted." Bullshit. No one wanted to die. Maybe Anakin would have rather die than kill his daughter, but Anakin would have preferred not to have had the past 18 years happen at all. Luke personally wished the last 19 years hadn't happened. If he and Leia had never been conceived then they parents would both be alive and happy. So many people would be alive and happy if not for Luke and Leia's existence.

"Why?" Luke asked the Force, his voice hoarse from all the yelling and tears. "Why us? You were his father! YOU SHOULD HAVE HELPED HIM! GUIDED HIM! GUIDED US! WHY WOULD YOU CHOOSE US AND THEN JUST WATCH WHILE WE FELL APART? WHAT DID WE EVER DO TO DESERVE THIS?"

"Luke, the Force is not sentient. It does not choose to make things happen. Things simply do."

Luke considered curling up in a ball again and ignoring Obi-Wan's ghost, but instead he picked up the closest item (a frigging Sith holocron as if Luke's life wasn't dark enough) and tossed it straight at the ghost. Obviously it didn't hurt Obi-Wan, but it didn't make Luke feel better either. Anger, hatred, the Dark Side-it never did.

"Why you?" Luke finally spit at the Jedi Master? "If you can just come back as a ghost where's my father? I need help and advice, and you're the only one around for me to turn to. Why? Why do you seem to be the only one who actually tries to help me, especially considering how kriffing terrible at it you are?"

Obi-Wan studied Luke, and it wasn't until the teen sat up in his throne like a mature adult instead of a temperamental kid that the Jedi Master spoke to Luke as an equal. "Those who die on the Dark Side are not capable of appearing through the Force the way a Jedi can. As for why I have never given up on you, it is for the same reason you never gave up on your father. I did not doubt the Light in you, and so I did not doubt your ability to fix that which the arrogance of the Jedi caused."

"My father died Dark," Luke tried to keep the pain and betrayal out of his voice, but then he decided that being emotional wasn't being immature. You could be mature and still show your pain, you just couldn't lash out at others with that pain. "I'm mourning my father's death, but I planned on killing him to save Leia. He wasn't even my father anymore. He'd chosen power over family. There was no light left in him! I was wrong. You were too. I can't fix anything. All I've done so far is cry and make the death penalty illegal. Ahsoka, Yoda, Leia, Mothma- they're all still in jail. Everyone is still looking to me to do something, everyone wants to know what I'm going to do, but I don't have a clue how to bring back democracy! I don't even want to! I just want to be with my family, but that's never going to happen. I received a condolence message from my cousins you know, my cousins, but not my aunt. No Aunt Sola is refusing to come to the funeral because even in death she hates him. Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, they probably don't even know yet, but they're not going to be upset. The only family I have is Leia, and I have hundreds of laws to re-write before she's even allowed out of prison! I'm not fit to be Emperor! I was wrong about my father, and you were wrong about me."

Luke sunk lower in the throne, the weight of it crushing him. He didn't want to be Emperor at all; he had no clue what he was doing. He didn't get a choice though. His father was dead. Luke was Emperor. He'd never be free or happy again.

"Let Admiral Cassel make the funeral arrangements," Obi-Wan suggested, his voice displaying neither sympathy nor disrespect. Obi-Wan was recognizing Luke's feelings, but he refused to let Luke be ruled by emotions. He would force Luke to be in pain, and still act like he was not, because that, that was the Jedi way in times of crisis. "Go to your mother's house. Go to Varykino. It holds great meaning for your family. Perhaps there you will find your center, and you can return to your duties with a new clarity."

Luke couldn't help himself; he laughed. It was a psychotic laugh for sure, and it hurt his chest, but Luke laughed. "I cannot just leave Coruscant for my first full day of being Emperor. The galaxy will fall to chaos. Some Moff will declare that I'm dead and seize the throne!"

"A morning period is custom. You are a young man who has just lost his father," Obi-Wan reminded, and for some reason Luke got the vivid image of a different pyre, and a young Obi-Wan dressed in a brown cloak, trying to be strong for a different boy from Tatooine.

"Admiral Cassel and Captain Piett could surely make sure no one knew I was gone," Luke admitted to himself weighing the idea. It would never have crossed his mind to go to Naboo, but it might help. If anything at least he could go to his mother's grave and just cry and cry and cry until he drowned in his own tears. "I'll go, but I need you to answer something for me. Just now, when you mentioned fathers, I had a vision of you and my father when you were my age. It was someone's funeral. I'm just confused because… well Jedi weren't supposed to know their fathers."

Obi-Wan smiled sadly, "You saw the funeral of my master, Qui-Gon Jinn. I often criticized his attachment to me, worried it would lead us both to the Dark Side. After he was gone I wished I had let him advise me more. I think it was only fitting that he came back when I actually needed him to. Master Jinn was the one to teach me how to become a Force Ghost. Those we love do have a strange way of only being around when we need help, and not when we want it."

* * *

Luke had been wrong to say that everyone he cared about was dead or locked up. The minute he asked Admiral Cassel if there was any way for him to cover Luke's little trip Luke found there were dozens of people among the Empire willing to help out. And it wasn't because he was Emperor. These were people who knew Luke and just wanted to help him get through the worst few days of his life.

And it reminded Luke of why, even among the Rebellion, he hadn't been against Imperials. They were good people and old friends. Perhaps the government system was messed up, but not the people. The people were just loyal, good people.

Luke had found his and Leia's lightsabers among his father's things, and so he felt comfortable stepping alone from the transport. He had landed right in Lake Country outside his house, and so it was only a short walk along the lake to his house. Luke's saber bounced against his leg with each step, and the familiar pressure eased his mind. Obi-Wan had been right to suggest Luke go to Varykino. As he walked along the sandy shores he felt calmer, at peace. He could practically feel his father's presence. It was as if each step brought Luke closer to not just his house, but his father as well. The feeling was so powerful by the time Luke reached the house, that he could practically imagine his father wasn't dead at all.

Luke was so at peace resting in his father's presence that it didn't even cross his mind that the house was not only unlocked, but also brightly lit. He walked right into the kitchen and back to his room, the room that overlooked the garden. Luke would need to pick some leias before going back to Coruscant. They'd be nice for his father's funeral.

Somehow the reminder that his father was dead didn't bother Luke anymore. He felt so safe, so loved in his parents' house. It didn't matter that they were gone. As Luke strolled into his room it was like his father was standing at the windowsill looking out over the garden.

Luke blinked. What? It wasn't just 'like' his father was standing at the windowsill overlooking the garden. No. No _his father was actually standing at the windowsill overlooking the garden._

Luke's breath hitched, and his father turned around. There was no mistaking it for even a moment; it was his father. His suit, imposing and dark, his mask emotionless and dead, his breathing ragged and artificial- it was Luke's father.

The only thing missing was the cape, well the cape and on overwhelming sense of darkness. No, no the figure standing in front of Luke had his father's Force Signature, not Darth Vader. It was all the love, all the Light of his father with none of the Darkness of Darth Vader.

And Luke couldn't believe it. "You're alive?"

As if to prove that he truly was Anakin Skywalker, Luke's father actually hugged him. He didn't hesitate, he didn't debate it, he just moved across the room, bent over and pulled his son in close. Luke actually was the one who held out for a second, but he finally realized that _this was what he'd always wanted_ and held onto his father as tight as he could. "I thought you were dead," Luke whispered. His father was still ridiculously tall compared to him, but it made the hug feel all the better. It was almost as if Luke was still a kid finally getting his father to hug him. "Force Leia still thinks you're dead. I don't… I don't understand."

His father let go, and sat down on Luke's bed. Luke paced for a second, waiting for his answer, but then discovered that his father wanted him to sit down too before he'd reply. "Darth Vader is dead, and the galaxy needed to know that so you could be Emperor. You had the ability to do what I could not and save Leia. The galaxy could not understand Emperor Vader sparing the lives of Rebel leaders, but you have always been a symbol of mercy."

"And now you're just… Light?" Luke had been trying forever to return his father to the Light side, and all of a sudden it just happened? It made Luke feel a little useless in all honesty.

"The struggle for me has always been power or family. I began this thinking I was helping my family, but I was just gaining the power to control every aspect of my family, even their deaths. Up until yesterday I never had to choose between family and power, but when faced with losing the throne or losing Leia… I have been so blind for so many years. If I had just run away with your mother our family wouldn't have been scattered across the stars. Then I should have stopped helping Palpatine when I found you, just taken the happiness we could have had and let it be enough. It could have been enough."

It would have been everything Luke ever wanted, but that wasn't the way of the Force. "If we'd run away we would never have found Leia. She may be a force to be reckoned with, but she's ours."

"Yes," Anakin softly laughed. "She reminds me so much of your mother, and a bit too much of myself. You'll need to be careful that you keep her on the right path."

Luke's heart fell. There was something about the way his father said that… "But you'll help, right? I mean you're going to come back and help and…" Even as Luke said it he knew it wasn't true. As far as the galaxy knew Anakin Skywalker or Darth Vader didn't matter; whoever was in the suit was Emperor.

"The galaxy must continue to think I'm dead. Snips and Master Yoda made sure they would. Even you had to believe it at first… I am going to stay here. No one but you and your sister would ever come out this far, and Ahsoka is going to come and help me. I've returned to the Light and yet the Darkness is still there. I'll need help to keep from ruining the galaxy further. I hope you and your sister will come by occasionally, if you can forgive me."

Forgive him? "Father, you might have chosen power for 18 years, but in the moment when it mattered you chose us. There is nothing to forgive."

His father nodded, but Luke could sense there was no truth in the assent. It would take a long time for his father to forgive himself. But that was okay. At least that meant his father had a long time. "I still don't know how I'm supposed to be emperor though."

"You'll get your sister's help, and then, as soon as it calms down, you'll hand the power over to Mothma. The Republic was your mother's first love. Restore it in her memory."

Luke would. He imagined that it wouldn't be too extravagant to rename it the Amidala New Senate Chambers. It would be the perfect memorial, far better for Luke to visit than a grave. "Your funeral is tomorrow," Luke admitted with a sigh. "I need to write a eulogy and I'm wondering if you'd be willing to tell me some things, the things I've always wondered about."

"If you're looking for embarrassing stories, I have plenty," Obi-Wan appeared saying. Luke looked for a second between his father and his dead-Jedi-arch-enemy, but there was no animosity. No, Luke was actually pretty sure his father was smiling. "There was that time with the radiator at the temple…"

The day before Luke's abdomen hurt from crying. For the first time in his life, listening to his father and Obi-Wan banter, Luke was in pain for laughing too long.


	33. Chapter 33

This is it, the final chapter. Final notes at the bottom. Thank you all for everything.

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Chapter 33

"I see your trip was successful, your majesty," Admiral Cassel greeted once Luke made it back to the Palace. He was tired and his head pounded, but Luke had a spring to his step that was undeniable. He was forcing himself to be somber, but Admiral Cassel knew Luke. Perhaps Luke had changed and matured, but that did not mean that Cassel did not know the boy.

So Luke didn't even try to hide his energy, and smiled when he nodded, "Thank you Admiral. I received the closure I needed… I appreciate you taking charge of the details of the memorials. I had not even considered that in the chaos Palpatine had never been buried. His remains are in the throne room? Are there many gathered?"

Admiral Cassel did not meet Luke's eyes, "No, your majesty, though the streets around the old Jedi Temple are already overflowing with mourners for your father's service tonight. I do not mean to question you…"

"Please, you're the one who convinced me not to pick me nose," Luke interrupted with a laugh. Yeah, he'd been a crass young boy. "You never need to stand on formalities with me, but I know what you're going to say. Admiral, the Jedi were not evil, and they did not try to overthrow the Republic. The best bits of my father were those bits of him that were a Jedi."

Admiral Cassel shifted uncomfortably, but it wasn't like the Emperor could commit treason. Finally Luke's loose-tongue wasn't illegal. "As you say, your majesty," Cassel replied with a nod before turning on his heel and heading to finish last minute preparations. Luke went his own way. He might not have liked Palpatine, but he still had to go pay his respects. Luke could not be controlled by his hatred, not when he was in such an easily-corruptible position of power.

When Admiral Cassel had said that few people were at the vigil for Palpatine Luke had imagined a few hundred. Instead it was just a few, less actually-only Leah and Rickon stood by the body. When Luke thought about it, it made sense. The people of the Empire either feared or revered Palpatine, but few cared for or respected him. Of those who did-Leah and the Hands- only Leah felt safe enough to come. Luke would not have harmed the Hands if they stood down, but Luke had no doubt that many of them had no plans of living peaceful civilian lives amid the New Republic. Most likely the majority were searching for new careers as promising assassins. Probably not Mara Jade. She had fled Coruscant with the other Hands, but she would undoubtedly be back. And she would undoubtedly be aware of who truly killed her Master.

Yes, she would be a problem for Luke in the future, but he had for too many other problems to worry about her much for the moment.

Rickon looked up as Luke entered, and nodded a greeting. Luke, however, didn't miss how Rickon moved closer to Leah upon Luke's approach. Something had obviously changed in his friends' relationship while he was gone, and Luke could only wonder just how different they were. He surely wasn't much like the boy they knew.

Leah didn't even look much like Luke was used to her looking. She wore a black dress, her hair hanging down and loose, her eyes without gleam. She didn't appear to be crying, but she stared at Palpatine's body, her hand lingering inches over his black robes. She looked ready to reach out and grab him, but she instead pulled her hand away. Once she did Rickon grabbed it, and Luke got a better sense of where his friends stood.

"He was thirty years older, but still charming when my mom met him. She was a young handmaiden, not close enough to Senator Amidala to be considered family, but still privy to her goings. My grandfather had just died without ever acknowledging her importance, and she just wanted to be loved. She was fooled Luke, just as the whole galaxy was. She honestly thought he loved her, and he pretended to for years. He never asked her questions, and it never crossed her mind that she was telling without him even having to ask. And then your mother found out, and the queen banished her, and Palpatine became Emperor, and he was still kind to her. It wasn't until after I was born a girl that my mother realized we weren't his family; we were his prisoners. If you hadn't been found he would have killed us. He only let me live the first decade because no one expects the daughter of a maid to be reporting back to the Emperor. I was getting too old to go unnoticed when the, y found you, and then suddenly there was a new possibility for the dynasty. I was never strong enough with the Force to have powerful heirs on my own but with you… He wanted the Empire to be his even after he died. His dynasty… his heirs.

"He only ever used me and yet I can't help but miss him. I should hate him, there was never any good in him, and yet I mourn what I should have had. Despite everything he…"

"You can never say those words," Luke told her,reaching out to hug her. "Not even just to me. It will be too dangerous if anyone knew. Keep it in your heart, and don't let it control you. But never, ever say those words aloud."

Leah nodded, but Luke noticed her move ever-so-slightly closer to Rickon, and further from Luke. "And remember this. It's not bad to regret what should have been," Luke told her attempting to close the gap but not reaching to touch her. He suspected she would be glad if he never tried to touch her again. "But Leah, you are loved, by me, by Rickon. And you have a place in our lives not because of what you can give us, but because of what we can give you."

Leah nodded and forced a laugh. She was never one to show her sensitivity for long. "Force. I used to worry he'd kill me if he heard the things you said about Leia, but she's your sister. You were madly in love with you sister!"

"Hey," Luke replied. Leah bottling things up worried him, but she apparently had Rickon now, and so perhaps all she needed from Luke was some normalcy. "I was not madly in love with her. I was just able to appreciate her beauty, and Leia is, for the record, extremely beautiful. I would introduce you two, but I am afraid you will join together to torture me for the rest of my days."

Leah smirked, "You were planning on releasing her into your custody for the funeral, weren't you?"

Oh Force, Luke was in trouble.

Luke did manage to convince Leah and Rickon that they could not be with him when he released Leia, so he ended up entering the prison center alone. He passed Yoda and Ahsoka's cell first, and despite being forced to glare at them for the sake of appearances, Luke still managed to offer his gratitude. _"Thank you,"_ he spoke into their minds. _"I would recommend you plan your escape for during the funeral. My father does not do well when left alone and bored. He could use your company."_

 _"_ _Restored to the Force balance is, but kept it must be. In your hands our future rests."_

As if Luke wasn't already under enough pressure.

Luke passed the other Alliance leaders, and his eyes locked on Mothma. He had no way of telling her that he was working on the problem, that he wasn't dark as well, but her eyes showed trust. He didn't need to tell her; she already knew it. Hopefully the others would as well. As soon as the funeral was over Luke would put his plans in motion, and the Alliance would be gone very soon. It would simply be unnecessary.

Finally Luke reached Leia's cell. She did not appear to be crying, but looked even more ragged and distressed than she had at her execution. When she saw Luke open her cell, however, she ran right into his arms and hugged him. "Luke, I'm so sorry. I know he meant everything to you."

 _"_ _Leia,"_ Luke whispered in her mind. Unlike with Yoda and Ahsoka, Luke knew he wasn't just speaking to her. Their bond as twins was prevalent through to Force. Luke could feel her sorry and guilt, and she could feel his joy, which simply proceeded to confuse her. _"Leia, he's not dead."_

"What?"

Luke placed binders on her hands, and casually tapped her forehead to remind her that there were some conversations that needed to be held in private. _"Father is alive. He faked his dead, convinced even us, so that he did not have to kill you. Leia. He chose family over power. He's returned to the Light."_

Despite managing not to say anything else aloud, Leia's shocked eyes were hard to miss. Apparently Luke needed to distract her from the subject before someone started asking questions. No one but Leia could know their father lived, not any time soon at least. Even Leah and Rickon were better off thinking that Vader was dead because, after all, Vader was.

"I am releasing you into my custody for our father's funeral," Luke stated loudly enough for everyone to hear. Let them remember that she was the Imperial Princess, even if she was also still convicted of treason. "As of right now your conviction of treason stands. Any attempt to escape will be met with resistance. You are under my protection, and anyone who attempts to harm you will be punished, but do not attempt to resist."

"Yes, your majesty," Leia replied, the familiar twinkle back in her eyes. Luke mentally rolled his eyes at her, and then led her back up to the palace to change. She could not go to their father's funeral looking like that, whether or not he was actually dead didn't matter.

Once Leia had cleaned up and changed into a black mourning dress, Luke escorted her (and guards escorted him) to the Jedi temple where the funeral was to be held. Along the way, Luke and Leia found themselves alone in a speeder, and Luke could tell her what she needed to know. "Leia, I need you to understand that I cannot just reinstate the Republic right away. This needs to happen over time to keep the peace intact." Panic flared of from Leia, as if she truly believed that Luke had somehow been corrupted by the power and fallen himself, but Luke's smile reassured her easily. "Leia, in the back of this speeder you will find by bag. In it is an Imperial Edict that shall go into effect tomorrow. It declared that since neither or us know who is older that we shall share power as equals. If one of us was to fall, which I don't think likely, the other would be able to regain control. We will protect each other from the rest of the galaxy, and from the Dark Side. Just as we helped father return to the Light, we will always be there to help each other."

Despite the body (or well armor) already having been burned, a gleaming white casket sat before the temple. Lying over it was the flag of the Empire, and when Luke approached he couldn't help but fold the flag and place it under the casket before beginning his remarks.

"I would like to begin by thanking the citizens of this galaxy. The past week have been chaotic and trying for us all, but since my father's death there has been no battles of this civil war, not even a skirmish between Alliance and Imperial soldiers. This peace has given me the time to grieve properly, and shown us all the kind of lives we could live should we achieve peace.

"Thousands of you have gathered here to pay your respects for my father, and my sister and I appreciate that." There was a murmur of disapproval throughout the crowd. "I know my sister is not the Empire's most loved, but she is my sister no matter what, and she mourns our father as much as I do, and so we both offer you are thanks. I know my father would not have appreciated such a commotion, but that is why it must be made.

"Many of you are here expecting a speech about the great Emperor my father could have been had he not passed so suddenly, or the great right hand man he was, but that is not my father's legacy. Not truly. What many of you have already concluded from my own name, I'm going to finally admit. Before he was Darth Vader my father went by the name of Anakin Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker was the Jedi Hero of the Clone Wars. For three years he woke up every day to fight for a safer galaxy, and that is a habit that never ended after the Clone Wars. The only thing my father ever wanted was peace, and that is a goal I too share. That is why I will truly enter into peace talks with the imprisoned Alliance leaders. Nothing will change overnight, and no just and peace-seeking citizen has anything to fear from these talks, but I will see the peace my father fought his whole life for.

"This galaxy has been in Darkness for a long time. The Hutts ruled the outer ring violently, the Clone Wars devastated who sections of the galaxy, and this Civil War has hit all those areas unaffected by the others. But that's okay. My father taught me about family, and how it is the basis of a good life, but he also taught me about Darkness. Sometimes it's only in the Darkness that we can find our best selves. I once asked him why there was Darkness, and he told me this. "Darkness hurts, it's true, but Light was always the son of darkness. The Darkness is there, and then the Light comes."

* * *

First of all I just want to say thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed this whole series. Whether you've read one chapter in one fic, or if you've followed, favorited, read, and reviewed every chapter- I appreciate and love you. I know I've improved my writing over this fic. It's not perfect, it never will be, but you've helped me improve and have a lot of fun along the way. Thank you all so much. Don't be strangers. I'm always around and bored. Please, please please feel free to send a PM my way if you're ever around and bored as well. I certainly love to talk.

On a slightly different note- for those of you curious-I will be back, but I don't know when.

A month ago I plotted out my life, and it involved me finishing this fic then going and writing the final fic in my Marvel Starkling series. Unfortunately, I still don't have a plot for that final fic, so those of you waiting for that... well I'm trying to plot it out, but I'm also concussed so my brain functioning isn't the best.

I have 12 one-shots in this series planned. I don't know when I'll write them, but I will write them. They range in seriousness- the trial of Vader's assassin from Book 2 to Vader being nominated as Father of the year- but they all cover more of the development of characters and relationships I never covered here. I've already received a request for Anakin's POV over the last three or so chapters, and so if you have any ideas please let me know and I'll see what the idea sparks.

I also received a request today for a sequel to my Progeny of the Force. I have no idea when, if, how, I'd write the plot I've come up with, but that is also something I hope to do in the future.

And then there are the half-dozen other Au's I have saved to my computer. I have no lack of Star Wars fanfic to write, and I hope you all will give it a shot when I do.

There are also other possibilities- maybe a Flash, Harry Potter, or House of Anubis fanfic- but I make no promises on that front. I'm ridiculously busy right now, but that will ease up soon. Then again I am also supposed to be editing and writing a sequel for my original novel, you know the one I can actually make money off of, so if I'm good I won't write any fanfic at all... I'm not very good.

So yeah, long story short for those of you asking; I can almost guarantee I will write something Star Wars when Rogue One comes out and destroys my life, and I might write something else, either SW or not, in the mean time. So if you see my name around please come and read, and if you hate it, well then don't be miserable, but hopefully you took the time to read this series because you enjoyed it, and perhaps that means you'll enjoy whatever I come up with next as well.


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